


The Chosen One - Mission in Africa

by atikabubu



Series: The Chosen One Saga [2]
Category: Strike Witches
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:41:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 93,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atikabubu/pseuds/atikabubu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The Chosen One - The Beginning. Four months after Toshiro's disappearance, he comes to the Yokosuka Naval Base in the middle of a fierce snowstorm. He doesn't know what to expect from the people he knew, and from the girl he loved. What will be the consequences of his decision?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 - Consequences

**Disclaimer**

**I do not hold the intellectual property rights to the Strike Witches franchise, or any other book, comic, song, movie or other work of art i reference. Original Content created by me is copyrighted by me alone. All brand names are property of the respective parties owning rights to them. This disclaimer is valid hereinafter and won't be repeated in the following chapters.**

* * *

**First of all, I want thank Doran Maya for being my 'beta reader', heh… Without him, I wouldn't have the energy to power through. Be sure to read his stuff!**

**I would also want to thank Seiko1979. I don't know why, but I have this gut feeling it's necessary. :P**

**Sup! Welcome to the sequel to The Chosen One! If you are reading this, and haven't read it, do stop, go to my profile, find it and read it, or you'll miss out.**

**This fic is a change of pace, and almost wholy original content in terms of what happens. I only adapted a bit from Kimi to Tsunagaru Sora, and the Witches of The Sphinx doujins, that's all.**

* * *

**Be warned, the M rating isn't just for shits and giggles. Profanity will be a part of this fanfic, but in a rather 'toned' manner, so it doesn't get defenestrated for being too lewd or abusive.**

**So… I won't be blabbering on anymore, onwards!**

**Panzer Vor!**

* * *

 

Chapter 1 - Consequences

It was February 9, 1945.

Snow was covering the fields, roads, mountains and roofs of Yokosuka with a thick veil. The wind was blowing heavily, stirring up the snow, and carrying new one from the grey clouds that were covering the sky.

A mysterious man in a snowsuit and goggles was going through the fields, red scarf covering his face. He was singing a song to keep up his spirit.

_Yuki no Shingun, kori o funde_ (Marching in the snow, treading on ice)

_dore ga kawa yara michi sae shirezu._ (we can't tell rivers and roads apart.)

_Uma wa taoreru sutete mo okezu_ (The packhorses died, but we can't leave the load behind.)

_Koko wa izukozo, mina teki no kuni._ (Everywhere we go, we're in the midst of the enemy.)

_Mama yo daitan, ippuku yareba!_ (Hey, let's be bold! Let's smoke!)

_Tanomisukuna ya tabako ga ni-hon!_ (Alas! There are only two cigarettes!)

The man stopped at one place. The scarf unraveled itself a bit, revealing a smile of sorrow and discontent on his face. He wrapped the scarf around his head again, and went on.

The man continued his march, and passed through the streets of the small city to the big gate of the Naval Base.

A guard was to be seen in his booth. A faint orange light was flickering on the interior walls, indicating he was using a miniature stove to keep himself warm.

The man went through the opened gate, but suddenly the guard rushed out of his booth and made an uproar.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

The man turned around and introduced himself, "First Lieutenant Toshiro Akayama."

"Huh? I don't know anyone by that name…"

"Are you new here, private?"

"Yes. I came here just a week ago from Enoshima, because the previous guy has gotten injured. Anyway, I can't let you pass until I get you verified."

"Sure, be my guest. But please phone Major Mio Sakamoto for that occasion."

"I can do that. Please, stay where you are."

The guard rushed back into his booth and picked up his phone.

_"Should we eavesdrop?"_

_"No need, Yuki."_

After a minute, the guard came out and said, "Please, the Major is waiting for you at behind hangar number two. She said you will know the way, sir."

"Have a nice guard duty, Private."

"Yes sir, will do!"

Toshiro slowly treaded to the backside of the hangar. The snow was creaking under his insulated shoes. Just as he went around the corner, he heard a wild shout.

"UNYOU!"

A shadowy figure in white rushed at him with a sword held high. The swords tip was brimming with magic, ready to cut him in half.

Toshiro didn't have a choice. He extended his hand and summoned his sword, Aganaimaru. He twisted it to the side in a block attempt. The sword of the assailant slammed against his blade. A powerful magic explosion shook the ground and the attacker was blown away several meters in a flurry of snowflakes.

Toshiro approached the lying assassin. The figure in a white snowsuit was on the ground before him. The hood of the suit came off, revealing the dark, long hair of the one clad in it.

"Mio, do you always great your guests like that?" Toshiro asked sarcastically, extending his hand to her.

"It… It is you… You… You are alive!" Mio said with her voice failing her.

"Don't lie on the ground like that, you'll catch a cold."

"Humph…" She huffed.

Mio grabbed his hand and pulled herself up.

"Mio, did my disappearance cause any… events?"

He could see that Mio's face changed into a grim mask, and that she clenched her shaking fists.

"Come to my office... This story is long…"

"Okay."

They both went to Mio's office. She had a single barrack all for herself. After opening the door and turning on the light, she let Toshiro in.

"Have a seat."

She pointed out a chair before her desk.

Toshiro took a seat.

"Why don't you pull of that suit, it's rather warm here." She said while stoking the fire in a small stove.

"Right, good idea."

He pulled off the hood first. His waist long white hair fell down along his body. After taking off the goggles, his crimson eyes were revealed. Then taking off the snowsuit and scarf, Toshiro showed that underneath it he was wearing a crimson red battle suit, similar to that which experienced shinobi wear.

"Toshiro… You changed…"

"First, tell me what happened from your point of view. Then, I'll do the same from mine."

"Okay, listen carefully what happened in the last four months." Mio started with a serious voice. "The day after you finished that enhanced plane engine you didn't show up in the base. Miyafuji went to visit you, and not finding you home made her worried, so she ran off to me. I explained to here that maybe you had a relapse of depression after your mother's funeral, and that you may have secluded yourself somewhere. We both believed in it. But days passed, and you were nowhere to be found. After a week, an official search party was sent to scour Yokosuka high and low. Needless to say, you weren't found. A search order was sent to the military bases in whole Fuso afterwards. A month after your disappearance, the search was interrupted, and you were pronounced missing.

After the next two months, you were declared dead… The news spread like wildfire in a pine forest after a drought. The press was supposedly hammering the phones of the military. Fortunately then I was meeting my old comrade, Ayaka Kuroe. She was the one who showed me the technique you saw just a moment ago. It was somewhat funny, because I already knew it, just didn't had an occasion to use it, afraid that my Masakuni could break… Our blades cut each other in half… Although she has no shield anymore like me, she still can pull of such a feat. I'm close to perfecting that move and making it even stronger…"

"Mio, we are detouring…"

"Oh yes, pardon me. So when I returned to the base, they broke the news to me. I couldn't believe they gave up on you so easily… The funeral was held a week afterwards, three weeks ago from now. You'd wish you were alive to see it… Press from all around the world and a variety of guests that would normally be a nightmare to organize. To cut it short: you had Miyafuji with her mother, grandmother and cousin as guests. A delegation from the base and the rest of the military. Eisenhower, Churchill with your friend Horbie. Even the Emperor of Karlsland came, with Galland and that shady photographer… And me of course... Oddly enough, nobody from the old 501st appeared… Anyway, you were posthumously promoted to the rank of Major, in honor of your deeds and your father. But you know what shocked everyone? The Kaiser held a eulogy for you. It was a passionate speech, and he ended it with the words, 'Rest in peace, my dear nephew…'

"So he finally said it…? Poor uncle…"

"This was the 'state secret' you were keeping from us?"

"Yes. What was the reaction for the world to those words?"

"After your funeral, the Kaiser gave an official press statement, revealing who you were, and who your father was. From what I know, almost all of Karlsland backed up the Emperor in mourning. The people probably came to a conclusion that there is no sense in beating on the current ruler for the mistakes of his father…"

"What a considerate nation… So, this is it? What… What about Yoshika?"

"She was deeply struck by these events. Her grades went from average-average to below average… She became a shut in…"

"I have to repair that… Yoshika has suffered because of me…"

"You still have something to explain, Toshiro. For instance: where in all kami were you?!" Mio raised her voice.

"I was literally off this world, in the realm of the goddess… I had undergone a years' worth of training, both with sword and without. I could probably kill you with my pinkie now, heh…"

"Your sense of humor degraded seriously… But why didn't you tell anyone about this? You made everyone worried sick you moron!"

"I couldn't. I was warned of the possible consequences, but I didn't even think that it would end up like this…"

"I see… By the way, where is your sword? It was two times the size of a normal katana, and you somehow managed to hide it…"

Toshiro lifted his hand and summoned the sword.

"This sword?"

"Yes… What…"

"This sword is magical in every aspect. I can summon it at will and…" Toshiro made a gesture, and the sword split into two smaller ones. "…it does this thing."

"Incredible… What is its name?"

"Aganaimaru."

"Perfect redemption?"

"Yup." Toshiro fused the swords together in one.

"I can't wait to see it in action… Will you show me your progress? Maybe tomorrow…"

"Sure, why not."

"I have another question: your eyes?"

"Yes… It is a side effect of the training… Nothing to worry about, it's only a visual change, nothing underlying… But there's a plus side to it: my eyes don't change with magic activation."

"Okay… What will you do now?"

"First I want to ask what became of my… home, if you can even call that shack a home."

"The last blizzard destroyed it; your possessions are in my office for safe keeping." Mio pointed to the lump under a rag in the corner.

"I see… Well, since I'm officially dead, I don't belong to the navy anymore, and you know what that means?"

"That you are now a bum without education?"

"Ha… Ha… Just bring me to the comms room."

"Huh?"

"Trust me on this one."

"Okay, let us depart then."

They traversed the snowstorm and ended up in the comms room.

"Good morning Major, who is the guest with you?" Said one of the radiomen.

"Somebody belonging to the past." Mio answered

"What a cryptic answer, Major…" The second one grumbled.

Toshiro unraveled his clothes.

The two radiomen started screaming in panic and ran out.

"It seems that they knew you, Toshiro…"

"I was with them on the same radioman course."

"You now have the whole room to yourself then. Should I wait outside?"

"Nah. Have a seat and listen."

Toshiro and Mio took seats. He picked up the phone and turned on the speaker.

"Connect me with Neue Karlsland." Toshiro said to the phone.

"A minute please." A voice answered.

"Neue Karlsland? Wait… Are you planning what I'm thinking?"

"I don't know what you are thinking; I didn't learn mind reading…"

"Neue Karlsland Headquarters, what can I help you with?"

"I need to speak with Adolfine Galland."

"What is your business?"

"Personal matters."

"I don't think I can get Brigadier General Galland out of her office for such a matter…"

"Listen to me, soldier…" Toshiro raised his voice. "If you don't give me Galland in a minute, you'd better start looking for a branch and rope to dangle from, because your military career will be forfeit…"

"Okay… Okay… Please wait…"

"Toshiro, I don't recognize you…" Mio said.

"You obviously have forgotten what was going on in Britannia…"

"Right… If it came to some matters, you were really hell-bent on pulling it through…"

"Galland speaking. Who is this? My adjutant was scared shitless when he approached me."

"Mortī te salūs (The dead one salutes you), Adolfine." Toshiro said with a calm voice.

"Nein… Unmöglich (Impossible)! Toshiro? You are alive?!"

"Yes. I'm sorry for my disappearance, but I had little choice…"

"You cause quite an uproar you know… The Kaiser is glum because of what happened…"

"I can imagine… Listen, Adolfine, remember our little conversation after Erica's commendation?"

"Refresh my memory…"

"You wanted for me to jump ship from the IFN and join the Wehrmacht."

"Ah yes… Wait, are you phoning me because of this?"

"Yes. Since my country gave up on me, I'm changing boats now."

"Wunderbar (Wonderful)! I will do the paperwork right off the bat! Any requests?"

"Yes, I have a few. I want my rank of Major, which I was given posthumously. I want Karlsland citizenship, and my surname changed to Edelweiss."

"Quite a lot of demands for someone who has risen from the grave…"

"Well, it's not a lot to be honest. You'll have more work calming down uncle after you tell him the news. He'll probably want to make me a General and want me to stay in Neue Karlsland…"

"With your kill count you already deserved a Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords you know?"

"Really? So they counted all those cubes back then near Calais, and the cubes plus small Neuroi during the battle with the Warlock as separate kills?"

"Yes. Your kill count is now two hundred seventy."

"Wheeew… Nice… Have a nice day, Adolfine; I have to visit Yoshika now."

"Your girlfriend? She looked so sad at your funeral…"

"I plan to cheer her up. Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye)!"

"Auf Wiedersehen, Toshiro. I will contact you in a few days."

"And that's that." Toshiro said.

"So we are now equal ranked, huh?"

"Does that bother you, Mio? We were only respecting military hierarchy at the beginning of my journey."

"True. You could say we are good friends now…"

"Because we are. Want to accompany me to Yoshika?"

"No, thanks… I have enough emotions for one day. However, be warned, her mother could not react positively to you appearing suddenly. You caused her daughter much sorrow after all…"

"I'll think of something. Thanks for the tip though, Mio."

Toshiro exited the base unbothered by anyone.

_"What do you think about putting up a foreigner act?"_

_"It may or may not work, Toshiro. Until your face I hidden your chances are very good actually. You'll have to change your voice a bit though."_

_"Don't worry about that."_

Toshiro went on through the snowstorm to the Miyafuji clinic.

* * *

**Notes:**

**Unyou (Cloud Spark) – a technique only showcased in Kimi to Tsunagaru Sora, chapter 7. Basically a gimped, melee version of the Reppuzan.**

**By the way, if you are desperately searching for chapter 7 and 8 of the aforementioned manga, just look at the talk page of Kimi to Tsunagaru Sora at the Strike Witches Wiki, 'What chapters 7 and 8?' section.  
**

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	2. Chapter 2 - Under one roof

Chapter 2 - Under one roof

Toshiro stood before the door of the Miyafuji clinic. He knocked on the door gently. Yoshika's mother opened.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Gid moaning. Oim Pierre Grenouille, a Lieutenant of the Gullian Ormy. Did I ridge the Miyafuji household?"

"Why yes… This is the Miyafuji household. What do you want, Lieutenant?"

"I huve a massage for Yoshika Miyafuji. Tup secret, ears unly."

"Why please, come in. Yoshika is home right now because of the blizzard."

"Think you."

Toshiro came into the house. He left his shoes and went on further.

"Why don't you take of your uh… snowsuit, Lieutenant?"

"I dunt plon to stay lung."

_She is buying it!_

He went into the living room. Yoshika and her grandmother were sitting there.

"Gid moaning." Toshiro introduced himself.

"Oh? And who you might be?" The grandmother asked.

"He is a Lieutenant of the Gallian Army. He has some message for Yoshika."

"Yis oi do."

Yoshika looked at him. She looked apathetic and her eyes were empty.

_What have I done…_

"Moi massage is…" Toshiro started to unravel his clothes. The eyes of the gathered started to widen. "I'm back, Yoshika."

"T-T-T-T-T-Toshiro?" Yoshika stuttered like a machine gun, but swiftly came up on her knees and jumped to his neck. "Toshiro… My Toshiro came back… My beloved Toshiro returned…"

Toshiro felt as tears streamed down his neck. He hugged Yoshika and said, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry you had to endure this pain…"

"Young man, you have a lot to explain…" Yoshika's mother said with an angry voice.

Yoshika jumped down and said, "Toshiro, how… why… why…"

"Calm down, Yoshika, I'll explain everything."

He explained what happened the day he disappeared and what he did during the four months in general.

"Unbelievable…" Yoshika's grandmother said.

"I can hardly believe that happened…" Yoshika's mother said reluctantly.

"I believe Toshiro!" Yoshika shouted bravely, causing confusion amongst her elders. "He wouldn't lie in such a serious situation!"

"But Yoshika… A goddess? Even I as a Shinto practitioner have my doubt whether my gods exist…"

"And you saying you met Amaterasu personally could be even considered a blasphemy." The grandmother chipped in. "You should return home now, so we can think this through in our own company."

"Well… There's a slight problem with my home…"

"What is it?"

"It's gone."

"Gone? How?"

"Well, it was destroyed in a snowstorm… It wasn't exactly built to last... Frankly I'm surprised that shack even managed to stand all these years… So basically I'm now homeless and until I get my stuff from Mio I'm broke. But at least I'm now hired in the army again…"

"Oh my… Well fine… You can sleep in the living room for now, until the Navy sends you enough money for you to rent something…" Yoshika's mom said.

"Not the Navy ma'am. Not even the army of Fuso. Since the old me is dead now, therefore I am Major Toshiro Lucas Edelweiss of the Karlslandian Wehrmacht. I picked up an offer I had been given some time ago."

"Wait… Aren't you the nephew of their Emperor?" Yoshika's mother asked.

"Well… Yes… I'm proud and troubled by it at the same time…"

"And here we are berating you… I'm sorry for being so grumpy, but you can understand…"

" _Did my somewhat future mother-in-law just change her stance based on my family ties? Feels wrong… But also strangely satisfying…"_

" _Don't abuse that connection, Toshiro. You should know from history that harassing people with a powerful dad/uncle/whatever isn't exactly a good idea on the long run…"_

" _Yes, Yuki, I know…"_

"Yes, I can understand perfectly, ma'am. I have an idea though: I can tutor Yoshika so she gets her grades straight, but in return I want to crash in her room."

"Pervert…" Grandma mumbled.

"I agree to this offer. But no sleeping in one bed and no funny stuff."

"I promise." Toshiro said with his hand raised to a pledge.

Yoshika ran up to him and hugged Toshiro dearly.

"Yay! Now you can be with me all of the time!"

"Not all the time. You have to go to school on some days you know, heh…"

"Oh, don't spoil the mood…"

"Hah… My Yoshika… I missed you so much… It was four months for you, but a whole year for me…"

"A year? So technically, you are…almost nineteen?"

"Sort of… But I didn't age, nor did my body require sustenance during that time…"

"If we are at the topic of sustenance… I was about to make dinner when you came in." Yoshika's mom said.

"Thank you very much ma'am. It's an honor to eat my first meal after a year in the home of my girlfriend."

"Ahahaha… Don't flatter me, Toshiro… May I call you Toshiro?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then you can call me Sayaka."

"Of course, Sayaka." Toshiro said with a smile

"And you can call me Grandma for all I care."

"Yes, Grandma."

Toshiro helped Sayaka and Yoshika make dinner in their small kitchen.

"Toshiro, I didn't suspect that someone of your… posture could cook so well…"

"You don't know many things about me, Sayaka. All good, I can assure."

"You would make a good husband for my Yoshika."

"Mooom!" Yoshika protested.

"What? Women of my age always think about grandchildren…"

The thoughts of Yoshika and Toshiro were probably concerning the same topic, because they blushed wildly.

"Ahahaha, you two… You didn't do anything indecent… Right?"

"Nothing at all! Only decent boyfriend-girlfriend interactions!"

"Yes, what Toshiro just said, mom!"

"I'm kidding you two… If it makes you happy and doesn't affect others in a bad way, do whatever you want."

"Thank you, Sayaka…"

"Stop thanking and cut those radishes!" Yoshika commanded.

"Yes ma'am!"

Toshiro took the knife and cut the radishes in the blink of an eye.

"It really seems you have been training, Toshiro…" Sayaka said without breath.

"Oh, pardon… I got a little carried away…"

" _Showoff…"_

" _Grump…"_

After the lunch, Toshiro was obliged to compliment the cooking.

"Wheeew… That stew was marvelous… Thank you for the meal!"

"Oh, pshaw… You were a big help…"

"Aw… I'm starting to blush…"

Sayaka and Yoshika giggled.

"Say, sonny, what's with that ninja suit?" Grandma asked.

"That? Just a normal suit I used for training. There's nothing magical, abnormal, paranormal or godly in it, sorry… Well, maybe a tad for the last one, I got it from the goddess… And it fits nicely, heh…"

"You should change it soon; you stand out like a sore thumb."

"Yes Grandma, as soon as I get my previous clothing back from Mio… Yoshika, since you weren't at school today, what would you say about some tutoring, huh?"

"Don't wanna…"

"Oh come on… It will be fun! If you have bad grades, no medical school will give you admission…"

"Really?! Oh my… I totally forgot about it! Toshiro, let's learn, now!"

Yoshika grabbed Toshiro's hand and dragged him to her room. It was more of a study than a girl's bedroom. There was a shelf with books, a desk and a Western bed.

"Yoshika, is this your…"

"Yes, it's was my father's study and bedroom, and now it's mine… I want to keep it the way it was before…"

After a few hours, Yoshika lost her motivation.

"Math is booooriiiing… Who needs all those fractions and whatevers…"

"Hey, I managed somehow, pay more attention."

"But you are a genius…" Yoshika pouted.

"One can be born a genius, but die an idiot. Remember that, Yoshika."

"Okay… But let's change the subject… I want to do literature, because we had an assignment due today..."

"Which you didn't do?"

"Eheheheh… Yes…"

"Oh you little devil… What was the assignment?"

"Writing a poem…"

"I see… Given your state you didn't have motivation, right?"

"Yeah… I really missed you…"

"I know, Yoshika, I know… Okay, I'll write a poem for you, but don't bitch about the content, okay?"

"Okay!"

Toshiro fetched a piece of paper and a pen. He pondered for a while and started writing.

'The sky was dark, the wind blowing strong

Every moment felt so wrong

Then came a guest, dressed in white

He entered the living room with all his might

He took of his hood, and to everyone's surprise

It was someone, who was thought that met his demise

My heart raced, many tears felt

When the guest before me knelt

With his white hair and crimson red eyes

Toshiro, my boyfriend, did from the grave arise

And suddenly everything was right

I can continue, fighting the good fight'

He passed the poem to Yoshika. She read it silently.

"Toshiro… This… This…"

"A little selfish, I know..."

"No, it's beautiful… So beautiful…" Tears started forming in Yoshika's eyes.

"Don't cry, Yoshika…"

She wiped them of her eyes with his thumbs.

"Okay…"

"I'll accompany you for the literature class tomorrow. As a guest of honor and living example so to speak."

"Oh… Yes… The poem would feel wrong, because everyone already knows you were my boyfriend and that you are dead…"

"When should I come?"

"Hmmm… The literature class is at 1300… Be there ten minutes earlier and wait by the gate. It's an all-girls school, so a man walking around freely would be… weird…"

"I can imagine…" Toshiro looked outside the window. It was pitch black outside.

" _This is your watch-on-demand, it is now 1739. Thank you, please come again."_

" _Through evolution you exchanged your venom for sarcasm, Yuki…"_

" _And I'm proud of it!"_

"Anything else you want to brush up on before supper?"

"Um… That will do for now… My head is itching inside, hehe…"

"Slacker… My slacker…"

They looked at each other. They could sense their beating hearts.

"Toshiro…"

"Yoshika…"

Their long accumulated passion and desire for each other exploded in a fiery kiss.

They were lying on the floor, looking at the ceiling.

"Say, Toshiro… How was it 'there'?"

"Without you it was barely manageable to be honest… I only had Yuki and the goddess as a companion. I trained until I fell, I regenerated, and I trained again. It was a year of murderous training. Sometimes I would wander out for sightseeing…"

"Did… Did the realm have nice views?"

"Yes, it was mesmerizing. The two moons, the lush green fields, mountains in the far horizon, small rivers, and a big lake to which I was always brought when talking to Yuki in sleep."

"Wow… I wish I could visit it someday…"

"Maybe when this is all over, I'll put in a word for you, okay?"

"Sure. Oh… Will you cut your hair?"

"Nah… I've grown accustomed to it… How does it look with it by the way?"

"You look… powerful and… awe inspiring…"

"Good… Good… If I ever get into active military duty, I will need that when dealing with subordinates. I would like to see their faces when they discover my true nature, heh…"

"Speaking of which… You are now a Major in the Wehrmacht. How did that happen?"

"Remember that time the Kaiser visited us?"

"You mean 'uncle'?"

"Hah, yes, uncle… Well, he gave me an offer to change teams so to speak… I told him I won't, because it would be unpatriotic, but I also said I would consider them first in line if I ever decide to. And so, bang!"

"Heehee... But… You changed your surname, why? Akayama was a nice one…"

"Now nothing in my looks reminds of an Asian… Besides, I feel that I owe something to my late father, more even than to mother... And the name is actually a stigma…"

"A stigma?"

"My ancestor, Keiko, slaughtered the inhabitants of the temple she lived in from her infancy after not being able to handle the power of the Sacred Flame. The goddess wanted swift retribution, but had mercy because she was pregnant, and instead gave her a new name, Akayama, because she made the mountain in which the temple was situated run red with blood… She also sealed the power of the Sacred Flame and the ability to use magic itself in the blood of her and her descendants… And then, I came along…"

"Such a tragic story…"

"And you know what's even 'better' so to speak? I'm a bastard descendant of Oda Nobunaga it seems. Keiko was the bastard child of Nobunaga and some powerful witch named Rinko…"

Yoshika tilted her head, not understanding what she just heard.

"You know who Oda Nobunaga was, do you?"

"Ummm… Well… History is boring…"

"Yoshika…" Toshiro said irritated. "You know that with that attitude you won't graduate for shit? And a woman without education in these times can only be a housewife or… well, you don't want to know the second option…"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, really. You are already fifteen. In olden times, you would be probably with child at this age. Puberty is knocking on the door hard, Yoshika… The innocent days as a child are slowly closing to a stop, and you'll have to start making decisions that will have outcome on your future life…"

"Oh Toshiro… You are worrying too much… I promise that I will brush up on school stuff, so you won't be ashamed of me!"

"Speaking about that… After the war ends, I plan to finish my education and become a scientist." Toshiro knocked lightly on his head. "This noggin can't go to waste, you know…"

"Heehee… We would make a nice pair… Doctor and professor, heehee…"

"We ARE a nice pair, regardless of such mundane things as education... Anyway, Nobunaga was a great warlord that united Fuso in the sixteenth century and… the only previous human was blessed with Yuki as a familiar…"

"Huh? Really?"

"Yeah… But she abandoned him after he found out about the pregnancy of Keiko's mother and sent assassins to kill her, because he couldn't politically afford a bastard on the side. Keiko's mother wiped the floor with them, despite being pregnant, but she secretly sought asylum in the aforementioned temple… Yuki, despite being a little hard to cope with sometimes, has a really strong sense of morality."

"Toshiro… But that means… You are royal blood!"

"Nah… Nobunaga was give or take, seventeen generations ago and my uncles' father two… My blue blood is now as red as anyone else's, heh…"

A voice came from the living room.

"Kids, time for supper!"

"Coming mom!" Yoshika shouted back. "Come on, Toshiro, let's go." Yoshika said cheerfully and grabbed Toshiro's hand.

"Yeah, lets."

After supper, Sayaka came up to Toshiro with a bedroll and pillow. "Here, Toshiro, you can sleep on these. Not exactly your size but…"

"I'm fine, Sayaka. Thanks."

A few hours later, Yoshika's room.

"Are you asleep already, Toshiro?"

"Nope. Too many emotions rambling around my mind…"

"I can't sleep too… I'm just too excited you came back…"

"Then maybe I should go away again, so you can sleep?"

"No… Stupid… Don't even say that…"

"Hah… Just try to sleep; you have a busy day tomorrow."

"I'll try… But it's hard to sleep with you around…"

"Yoshika… I can see you blushing even in the darkness… What are you thinking about?"

"Oh… Nothing… Heehee… Good night, Toshiro."

"Good night, Yoshika."

* * *

**Notes:**

**Grenouille – frog in French**

**Toshiro's 'Gallian' impression – a reference to Officer Crabtree from Allo Allo**

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	3. Chapter 3 - In my sword I trust

Chapter 3 - In my sword I trust

Toshiro woke up.

_"It's about seven in the morning. You took your sweet time. And how didn't you feel that Yoshika crawled into your bedroll?'_

_"I what…"_

He looked down. Yoshika was tucked into his bedroll, tightly grasping his body.

_Oh that little devil…_

"Hey kids, time to wake up. Yoshika has to go to school, the weather is perfect." The voice of Sayaka was heard nearing Yoshika's room. "And we have a guest!"

_"A guest… Who could that be?"_

_"Pearls against peanuts that it's Mio."_

_"Probably… Wait, I'm in one bedroll with Yoshika, I have to…"_

The sliding door opened, revealing Sayaka.

"Oh my… You sure don't take your time, huh Toshiro?"

Toshiro put his hands up in the air.

"I didn't do anything! I slept like a stone the whole night!"

"I'm kidding… You could hear a cat fart in this house, nothing will go unnoticed…" Sayaka said with a sly smile.

"Yeah…" Toshiro started poking Yoshika. "Hey, sleepyhead, wake up, time for school."

"GImme an hour…" She mumbled.

"Who are you, Erica? Wake up, your mother is looking at us."

"Mom…MOM?!" Yoshika opened her eyes and shouted in panic. "We didn't do anything! I promise!"

"Ahahahah… You two are really on the same wavelength… Get dressed, Yoshika, we have a guest."

"Who?"

"Your beloved Major."

"Miss Sakamoto?"

"Yes. Although I think her visit is rather concerning Toshiro…"

"I probably thought so…" Said Toshiro. "Well, time to get dressed and talk to her…"

"I'll leave you two for now."

Sayaka closed the door.

Toshiro put on his ninja suit and went out of the room. In the living room, Sayaka, Mio and grandma were seen sipping tea.

"Good morning grandma."

"Morning."

"Hi, Mio."

"Hello, Toshiro."

Toshiro sat down. Sayaka gave him a cup of tea.

"Thank you. So, what brings you here, Mio?" Toshiro asked.

"I have come with your stuff. It's the chest in the anteroom."

"Well, thank you, Mio. You lugged the chest by your own?"

"There's nothing a witch can't do, haha! Besides, it wasn't much to be honest. Your books and newspapers were donated to the local school, just like you told me…"

"Very good, Mio. The contents of the chest are unscathed?"

"Yes. The Fuso officer and khaki uniforms, the Afrika Korps uniform, the Luftwaffe officer uniforms… The Luftwaffe officer boots… The robe and mask… Swimming trousers… What else… The insignia box, the Iron Cross box with certificate… The Wound badge… And the pistol with ammo pouch… The waterproof bag… Also all the papers about your equipment. Ah, your wallet and money are also intact… Speaking of which…"

Mio pulled out a wad of cash out of her uniforms pocket and placed it before Toshiro.

"Your personal wealth, Toshiro."

Toshiro's eyes widened.

"But… How…"

"After you went missing, I took initiative of caring after your finances. Until you went missing, your pay was paid out, and you got orphan money from Karlsland, although I think your uncle had some doing in this, because well… After summing it up with that cash you had in your wallet, and consolidating the yens and marks into pounds, before you lay four hundred and ninety five pounds."

Even grandma had to react to that.

"Hoho, sonny! You could buy this clinic with that money, and you would have money for a next one!"

Toshiro took the money, looked at it, and looked around the room.

"Did any of you have any expenses because of my funeral and disappearance? As you can see now, I can reimburse you."

"No, not at all. The flower on the grave now and then is nothing important."

"As you wish, Sayaka."

"Oh, hello Miss Sakamoto." Yoshika burst into the room, clad in her school uniform.

"Hello, Miyafuji. I'll liberate Toshiro from the three of you for a while."

"Huh? What do you want from me, Mio?"

"I want you to show me something."

"Well, okay. But I have to be at Yoshika's school after 1200."

"Fine. Let's go then."

"Have a nice day everyone, I'll return soon. For sure." Toshiro winked.

While dressing up, Toshiro asked, "So what do you want to see?"

"Wait until we get in place."

"Ugh, okay… And the place would be…?"

"The summit at which we met for the first time."

They went outside, and Toshiro said, "Let's sing something on the way there."

"Oh pfff, come on…"

"Oh? Don't like singing, Mio? It's fun! Let me start then… Yuki no shingun…"

"I told you I won't…"

"Kori wo funde…"

"I won't…"

"Dore ga kawa yara michi sae shirezu…"

"Allright! I'll sing! Uma wa taoreru sutete mo okezu!"

"That's the spirit! Koko wa izukozo, mina teki no kuni!"

After an arduous march through the fields of snow, the finally arrived at the summit.

"Douse ikitewa kaeranu tsumori! (We intend to pass away and to live on anyway!)" They sang the last stanza together.

"Wow, Mio, you really have a lovely voice! A shame you use it only to bark orders…" Toshiro said with a wry smile.

"Oh shut up…" Mio said baffled. "Now, Toshiro, I want to you to show me what you've learned."

"Nah, don't wanna…"

"Come on, don't be such an ass. I want to see it for my own eyes!"

"You won't back down now, will you?"

"No."

"Ugh… Fine."

Toshiro summoned his sword.

Mio unsheathed hers.

"Oh no, Mio! I vowed not to use my new gained abilities against humans."

"What? Scared?"

"No. I'm just not in a genocidal mood."

"Then how can I test you if not in battle?"

"I can just give you a dry run…"

Mio looked at him angrily.

"Sorry, Mio, but you wouldn't want to get hit even by my weakest blade technique. Especially since your shield is mainly for looks now…" Toshiro ended with a gloomy look.

"Don't say that! I have trained to make it stronger!"

Mio pulled up her shield. It looked strong, it didn't flicker.

Toshiro bent down, and started looking for something under the snow.

"Toshiro, I'm here, not under the snow." Mio said obviously annoyed.

He found what he was looking for. He showed it to Mio.

"Mio, you know what this is?"

"Looks like a pebble? Why do you ask?"

"Is that your strongest shield right now?"

"Well, yes… Why…"

Toshiro swiftly wound up and threw the rock. It reached subsonic speed and pierced right through the shield, grazing the hood of Mio's snowsuit.

"What… How…"

"I've thrown that little pebble so that the force of impact would be that of a 9mm Parabellum bullet. It pierced through like nobody's business." Toshiro made a pause and grabbed his sword like a javelin. "Now imagine Aganaimaru is a Neuroi beam. Want to take a chance?"

"No…" Mio responded with a bitter tone.

"Good girl…"

"But I won't stop fighting! NEVER!" Mio shouted, dangerously close to being hysterical. "That's why I'm practicing blade techniques!"

Mio was shaking on her whole body.

"Your magic as a whole is also fading, Mio. I can feel it through the Hebigan… Your magic signature is… dim… Rushing into battle would be suicidal…"

"Don't you teach me about being suicidal… Remember the Neuroified Akagi? What was that actually? You only gave some vague answer back then..."

"Ugh… It was an ancient and forbidden technique called Kamikaze, or Divine Wind if you prefer. Basically my whole body was turned into a hypersonic bomb…"

"How did you survive then?"

Toshiro's face was gloom as a graveyard during a rainy night in November.

"I didn't. I died."

"What?!"

"What you see before you is a new body with the old soul…A price had to be paid for it… My mother paid it with her own life, willingly… Now you know the real reason why I wanted to commit suicide after the funeral… The guilt and sorrow almost literally killed me, because first I thought that my mother's life was taken in exchange for mine… And at the end I was right…"

"Toshiro…" Mio was so surprised by Toshiro's words that she could only say his name.

"I know, Mio. You want to comfort me, but don't find the words to do it… I don't blame you… Don't worry about me, I already found peace. But I have to atone for what I did, and cutting down Neuroi with Aganaimaru is one way. So, you want to see those blade techniques or what?"

"With pleasure, Toshiro."

"But… Hmmm… It's kind of befitting and inconvenient that there's nothing to destroy here…"

"Why don't you just bang at the mountain?"

"Nu-uh. The temple in which Keiko was brought up is sealed there. I can't risk destroying it."

"What? A temple is sealed away in the mountain?"

"Yup. Hmmm… Doh well, I'll just fire the stuff in the air… Prepare your Magic Eye, Mio."

"Roger."

She took of her eye patch and looked at Toshiro with tension.

"First things first… Remember the Rending Gale?"

"How could I not? You used my sword and cut that Neuroi like a ripe apple."

"Hah. It took me a month, but I perfected it. I call it Rending Gale EX."

"Not an imaginative name…"

"Because it's only an evolution. It now has twenty sword lengths of reach, which given the length of Aganaimaru is about thirty meters. Also, again thanks to the sword, it can be overcharged to EX' level, which triples the reach and doubles the yield. Since I want to show you more stuff today, I won't go overboard. Watch closely."

Toshiro changed the grip on the sword, so the blade pointed downward.

Silently, without wild cries, he charged the blade. The blade started vibrating and buzzing on an unpleasant frequency. Toshiro took a wide horizontal swing. The untrained eye only would only see the gust that made a small snowstorm. However, Mio saw it differently – a half crescent made of magically infused compressed air swooped into the sky and disappeared, everything during one second.

"To…To…Toshiro…" Mio stuttered. "Just don't tell me that was your weakest sword spell…"

"Heh… Well… Sort of…"

"Unbelievable…"

"Well, that was that. If I would do that with two swords, I would combine the two attacks into one, executing the Cross Shot Rending Gale EX, but enough about that. Next thing I want to show is the Reppuzan.

"Wait, did you say Reppuzan?!"

"Yeah. Does it ring a bell?"

"Well, yes! That's my mentor's technique!"

"Your mentor?"

"Kitagou Fumika. She was almost like a mother to me, guiding me through my life as a Witch. Well, to be honest, I'm sort of a copy of her… I have the same character, same hairdo, I can't even cook like her, haha…" Mio coughed briefly and continued. "Uhm… Well… But how did you come to know the Reppuzan? It's a secret technique, passed on only to the most proficient sword wielding witches!"

"Mio… Did you forget I was training in a realm of a goddess? You know, gods tend to be omniscient…"

"Right… How long did it take you to master it?"

"Three months. It was harder to master, because as opposing to the Rending Gale, the Reppuzan doesn't use air as a medium for transporting magic. It's magic itself, in pure form. Before I demonstrate, I just have to tell you that I can pull this attack off five to six times a day… Oh, and it doesn't have an arbitrary range limit; it just gets progressively weaker after crossing a certain distance."

"And that would be…?"

"Well, a kilometer, give or take a few meters. Want to see for yourself?"

"As hell I want! Kitagou didn't show it to me, saying stuff about showing off…"

"Well, it certainly is flashy… Okay, show time!"

Toshiro took a proper stance with his sword and started pouring magic into it. This time the magic surrounding the sword looked like as if it was a flame, flickering and sparking.

He started taking an uppercut with the sword and yelled.

REPPUZAN!

A magic wave roared into the sky and continued flying upwards until even Mio couldn't see it with her eye.

"Wheeeew... so that's the Reppuzan. I see now. Thank you for demonstrating it, Toshiro. I believe I can advance my own training with the technique after seeing it for myself."

"Now I'm having second thoughts if I should show you something even better…"

"Something even better…" Mio pondered for a while. "I believe that Kitagou mentioned something like that, but she said that executing it would be rather difficult for anyone but the very best, maybe one or two persons in the whole world. I believe she called it the 'Shin Reppuzan'."

"Indeed."

"Who could think that you would obtain that technique before me…? Show me then!"

"Of course. But first, some boring stuff. It took me half a year to master, and I still don't feel comfortable swinging it around... I can only manage to do it ONCE daily…"

"Well… If it would endanger you, don't show me…"

"Nah, don't worry. I have a method to counteract that." Toshiro looked around. "Say…" He pointed at a mountaintop not far away. "Should I slice that piece of rock in half?"

"Okay, I dare you. To my knowledge it's just an uninhabited piece of rock, so fire away."

"Dare taken. Stand away, Mio. This can get a bit too hot for you…"

Mio walked back a few meters.

"Okay. Now witness the glory of the True Reppuzan!"

Toshiro was set ablaze in white flames. Magic particles started swirling around him, leaving long blue traces. He lifted the sword above his head. The blue flame appeared again, only this time, the magic particles started to flow into the sword, increasing the flames magnitude. The air was flickering from the Sacred Flame's aura, and the snow on the ground around Toshiro evaporated, showing the grass underneath it. Finally, the flame turned into a solid, pulsating indigo glow.

SHIN REPPUZAN!

Toshiro shouted with fury and swung the sword so fast that it left a blue afterimage. The air around him furled violently and the distant mountaintop was cut in half. It slowly slid down, and crashed into the valley.

Toshiro felt weak and fell on his knees. The Sacred Flame had receded, and he was breathing heavily.

"Toshiro! Are you all right!?" Mio shouted and ran up to him.

"Yeah… Whew… If I didn't use the Sacred Flame…. as a spare energy source… I would probably be on the verge of death… already…"

"You sure look like you are now… Why not use that Respite thing you used to back that day you were running with armor?"

"No… It won't work… right now… That time… the Impure… Give me a sec, okay?"

"Okay."

Toshiro sat down on the grass and calmed himself down.

"Whoo… Okay, now I can speak normally. So, back then, the Impure Sacred Flame was blocked out from me, so I wouldn't go genocidal on everyone around. Yuki could leak some of the power from it to regenerate my magic and fatigue. Now, that I possess the pure form of the Sacred Flame, it changed into a… how to word it… An auxiliary battery with separate circuitry. I can either go all out with it, or try to manage without it."

"I think I understand the analogy. I'm impressed by the Shin Reppuzan… To think such a power is at your hands…"

"There's more, Mio…"

"Oh shut the f…. seriously, what?!"

"There's another stage of the Reppuzan… Something that would not cut in half, but rend asunder not that little hill, but something ten times bigger. I don't even know the name of that technique, but I failed to master it…"

Mio did something unexpected – she hugged Toshiro from behind. He felt her firm breasts pressing against his back, although they both were wearing thick clothes.

"Mio… What…"

"Shhh… Toshiro… You deserve it… For all the progress you've made, you deserve it like nobody else…"

"Mio showing emotions… What has the world come to…?"

"Don't joke around… Stupid…"

_"You know what, Toshiro?"_

_"What?"_

_"I'll call the samurai lady by her first name now. She also deserved it."_

_"Nice of you, Yuki."_

_"I probably got too soft…"_

"Okay, Mio, stop already, I have to eat breakfast."

Mio let go of Toshiro and said, "Oh right… I snatched you away before you could eat something… You know what? I'll treat you to takoyaki!"

"Takoyaki…. Gaaahhhhh… Want…"

"Toshiro… Why are you drooling so heavily? It's just takoyaki…"

"Mio… I haven't eaten in a year… You know how I missed the taste of homemade dishes?"

"Somewhat… I made myself only drink water for a week... Never more…"

"Ahh… So you are also a connoisseur, Mio?"

"Since we are all being honest… Yes, I like to eat good food. Maybe because I can't cook for shit myself…"

"Oh well, you can't have cooking skills AND awesome fighting skills… Oh, wait… That would be me, Yoshika, Shirley… Lynne… Erica, Trude and Eila to some extent…" Toshiro said with a wry smile.

Mio bonked him on the head with her fist.

"Don't rub it in…" She said discontented.

"I miss them…"

"What?"

"I miss the girls… All the horsing around, drama, laughter, fighting together… My big and little sisters…" Toshiro said with melancholy in his voice.

"Toshiro, stop, or I'll get all mushy myself..."

"Okay… Let's go for the city already, before I'll start reminiscing even further…"

Following their tracks, they quickly got back to the city. Mio led Toshiro along the streets, to a takoyaki stand.

"Oh! The Major! The usual?"

"No, Takumi. Two extended portions this time!"

"Ah yes! You have a guest! Coming right up!"

The man named Takumi started dicing the squid and other ingredients.

Toshiro and Mio sat before the stand.

"Might I ask your name, dear guest?" The man asked.

"Yeah… Major Toshiro Edelweiss, Karlsland Wehrmacht."

"Well, well! Two Majors sitting before me… It's probably the biggest event this stand witnessed!"

After a few minutes, the two were eating.

"Dewishush!" Toshiro mumbled with his mouth full.

"Toshiro, you are a member of the Wehrmacht, show some manners…"

"Showwy…"

"Hopeless…" Mio sighed.

"Now that we have eaten… What are you going to do?"

"I'll change into my Luftwaffe uniform, since it's the only one with long sleeves. And I'll go to Yoshika's school…"

"Okay. Have a nice day, Toshiro."

"You too, Mio!"

Toshiro came back to the Miyafuji clinic.

"Excuse me for the intrusion." He said upon entering.

"You are back? Took you some time…" Said Sayaka, peeking out from the living room.

"Mio treated me to takoyaki, how could I say no?"

"Have more room in that stomach of yours? I have sushi left from breakfast; don't want them to go to waste…"

"If Yoshika's cooking is half as good as yours, then there's always room!"

Toshiro went into the room and sat on the floor besides the chabudai. Sayaka brought him a plate full of sushi.

"Wow… I'm really getting spoiled here…"

"I have to care about my future son-in-law, so my grandchildren will be healthy." She said with a carefree tone.

Toshiro made a disgruntled face.

"Toshiro, don't make such a face. I'm half serious here. I won't hinder you in your advances to Yoshika, but you have to take responsibility for whatever you do to her, yes?"

"Yes ma'am… And if it pleases you, we didn't get past first base, if you get the reference…"

"I get it, don't worry. But you are not far from second, sleeping with her half naked like that… Nice body by the way, heehee…"

"Stop giggling like a teenager, Sayaka. You are a widow in your middle ages…"

"I'm sorry, mother…"

"I'll just eat up then!" Toshiro said hastily and began eating.

After eating everything, Toshiro said, "Well… I have a dilemma now… Has the student outperformed the master…?"

"Don't worry about that. Yoshika was very diligent and enthusiastic about cooking from her early days. She is especially fond of natto."

"Yeah… I know that already. Every time she had kitchen duty, she added natto as a side dish."

"Oh that little Yoshika…"

"Say, Sayaka, do you have any good books around here? I could really use a read right now…"

"Oh yes, you can use the books of Ichiro in Yoshika's room. But there a few in storage, follow me."

The stood up from the table and went into a closed room. Sayaka opened the door and said:

"This is our little storage… I kept most of Ichiro's books, since he left on Yoshika's tenth birthday… You will probably find some nice literature; Ichiro was an avid leader…" Sayaka said with a gloom face.

"How are you coping with Ichiro's death, Sayaka?" Toshiro asked out of the blue.

"It's been five and a half years already, I'm managing somehow… But each time I pass around this room I feel a needle pricking my heart…"

"You know… After I got the death certificate of my mother handed to me, I fell unconscious… The stress surge of that moment made my hair white as you can see… For the whole year during which i was training, every day I thought about my mother, but now, it's a matter of the past… I have been ascertained by the goddess that my mother's soul is resting peacefully in the afterlife, which made my heart feel at ease…"

Sayaka gave off a faint smile and said, "Your mother must have been a saint to you…"

"She was… She truly was…"

Toshiro entered the room. It had no windows, nor lighting, so he had to use Yuki's powers to see anything. He took a few books he found and exited.

"I see you really like to read, Toshiro."

"Always something new to experience with each new book, Sayaka."

Toshiro went to Yoshika's room and started reading.

_"Hey, Toshiro, I think you should start moving your butt, it's past twelve already."_

_"Okay, okay…"_

Toshiro put a bookmark in the book and went to dress himself in his snowsuit.

"Toshiro, may I have a request?" Sayaka peeked out of the living room.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Could you buy some pork on the way back?"

"Of course I can."

"But… heh… There will be a problem…"

"What problem?"

"I'm broke…"

"Ugh… I told you something about me being rich and all, right? And why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I don't need charity…" Sayaka huffed.

Toshiro grumbled and opened the chest, which still was at the entrance. He picked up the wallet and pulled out some money.

"Here, Sayaka, fifty pounds. Consider this a present from your future son-in-law." Toshiro said with a smile and winked. "And I'll buy the meat with my own money, don't you worry about that!"

"Well, when you say it that way…" Sayaka said silently and pinched the money out of Toshiro's hands. "Thank you."

"No problem… mom."

They both blushed slightly after Toshiro said that.

He went out of the house and into the cold and snow covered streets of Yokosuka. The sun was shining strongly, so his dark snow goggles helped a lot. After walking for a while, he came before the grounds of the Yokosuka 4th Girls-only Middle School.

Toshiro didn't have to grow roots while waiting for Yoshika, because the chime announcing a break sounded of only after a few minutes. He saw her darting out of the main building like a rocket.

"To…To...Toshiro! You came!" Yoshika said out of breath.

She was wearing a thick pink winter jacket, earmuffs, and something that made Toshiro a tad excited.

"Hmmm… Yoshika, do my eyes deceive me, or are you wearing black tights?"

"You noticed them? Heehee, I had to wear them, because magic alone couldn't counteract the cold…"

"Your legs never looked so sexy, Yoshika, rawr!"

"Oh you! Always some dirty thoughts! Why are you actually wearing a snowsuit?"

"Ah, I don't want to waste magic on heating myself… I'm a traditionalist regarding some matters…"

"Well okay… Are you ready?"

"Since I'll be only standing there in the middle of the class like a dunce, why shouldn't I be?"

"You could say a few words you know…"

"We'll see."

* * *

**Notes:**

**Chapter title – 'Ensiferum – In My Sword I Trust'**

**You all may think 'OP HAX! SHIN REPPUZAN!1onesix', but rest assured, Toshiro won't be running around and cutting down mountains all the time. :P**

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	4. Chapter 4 – A visit from afar

Chapter 4 – A visit from afar

Toshiro entered the school building of the Yokosuka 4th Girls-only Middle School with his face covered, being looked at with curiosity. He decided to sit in the corridor, leaning back against the classrooms wall. Toshiro used Yuki's power to eavesdrop on the lecture. It took long, but finally it happened.

"Miyafuji, do you have your homework for today?" A bored voice of a female teacher was heard.

"Y-yes professor!"

The class murmured as a whole.

"Oh, that's a new thing… Please, present it to the class."

Toshiro heard a chair being moved, and steps going in the direction where he knew the blackboard was.

Yoshika cleared her throat, and started reciting the poem.

"The sky was dark, the wind blowing strong

Every moment felt so wrong

Then came a guest, dressed in white

He entered the living room with all his might

He took of his hood, and to everyone's surprise

It was someone, who was thought that met his demise

My heart raced, many tears felt

When the guest before me knelt

With his white hair and crimson red eyes

Toshiro, my boyfriend, did from the grave arise

And suddenly everything was right

I can continue, fighting the good fight"

Not a single voice was heard during her exposition.

After she finished, the dead silence was still present, until the teacher started talking.

"Well, Ms. Miyafuji… A nice poem overall, but…"

"Professor, before you say anything else, please, let me do something."

"Okay, Miyafuji, but keep it short."

"You can come in!" Yoshika shouted so loud that Toshiro's ears were ringing.

He stood up from the floor and entered the classroom.

"Excuse me for the intrusion." He said.

He might as well could enter the classroom naked; he would probably garnered equal attention.

"And who are you?" The teacher asked.

"I'm the person in question."

"You? Impossible! Toshiro Akayama is dead; I saw it in the newspapers!"

Toshiro undid the hood of his snowsuit and took off the goggles and scarf of his face. Gasps could be heard from some of the students.

"Well, Ms…"

"Tamagami, Asuka…"

"Well, Ms. Tamagami, my body was never found, because it couldn't be found. I won't get into details, but I was… unavailable for the world. But as you can see, now I'm standing here before you and your students." He turned to Yoshika. "Hey, Yoshika, is this your last class?"

"Yup."

"Ms. Tamagami, if you could excuse Yoshika for now? We have to do some shopping…"

"No problem… Actually, class dismissed!"

"YAAAY!" The shout coming from over a dozen of teenage girls throats sounded across the classroom.

All the girls darted besides Toshiro and out of the classroom, except for one. A shy girl with dark long hair approached Yoshika and Toshiro.

"G-good morning, I'm Michiko Yamakawa, pleased to meet you." She said humbly and bowed.

"Michiko… Michiko… Oh! You are Yoshika's cousin?"

"Yes, Mr. Akayama."

"Oh pfff, please, call me Toshiro. And it's Edelweiss now anyway."

"Okay, T-Toshiro… Can I join you on your shopping trip? I wanted to buy some pork for dinner."

"What a coincidence! Yoshika's mother also sent me out to buy pork!"

"Really? Mother told you to go shopping?" Yoshika asked surprised.

"Yeah. Is it so surprising, or odd?"

"No, no… Just… I have trouble imagining you running errands around the town, heehee…"

"Ha… Ha… Okay, let us go then, all three of us. Goodbye Ms. Tamagami."

"Goodbye…" She answered totally spaced out.

Toshiro went with Yoshika and Michiko to the locker room, so the girls could get clothed and change their shoes. He didn't notice it earlier, but Yoshika had some sturdy snow shoes, probably a similar quality to Toshiro's.

_Except for the fact that mine were made by a goddess, not some bald shoemaker from Whoknowswhere._

When outside, Toshiro asked. "Hey, Michiko, know a good butcher around here? Things could change while I was… gone…"

"Well… Old Mayamoto has closed his shop, but there's a new one near where it was open."

"Mayamoto… I remember that mother always praised meat from that guy…"

"The new store has grade A meat, Toshiro. You can trust me on that!" Michiko said confidently.

"Then lead the way, Micchan." Toshiro said with a smile, causing Michiko to blush.

"Oh… Toshiro…. Please don't call me by my pet name… I'm embarrassed…" She said flustered.

"Heh…"

They arrived at the butcher, and after picking out good pieces of pork, it came down to paying the man. Toshiro pulled out the wallet, but instead of pulling out money, he asked, "What's the current correlation between yen and pound?"

"Hummm…" The man pondered. "Still something about one to twenty I believe."

"Oh, okay then." Toshiro said and pulled out the necessary amount of money. "Keep the change, I'm feeling generous today."

"Much appreciated, kind sir…"

Toshiro looked around to Michiko, and saw her searching through the pockets of her jacket fervently, ending it with her hand coming through a hole in one of them. Her eyes became wet in an instant as she realized that she lost the money she had been given to buy the meat.

Toshiro turned around, pulled out another few coins and gave it to the man.

"Here, I'm paying for the young lady."

"Thank you for your patronage."

Toshiro took Micchan's meat from the counter and gave it to here saying, "Here, I paid for you. You don't have to worry about giving me the money back."

While Michiko had calmed down a bit before, now she started crying with full force.

"Thank… you…" She said while sobbing.

"Is she always like that?" Toshiro asked Yoshika.

"Sometimes… Michiko is mostly a quiet girl…"

After she calmed herself down, they went out of the store. They split up a few meters further, and Toshiro could walk with Yoshika alone, if not counting some seldom-appearing pedestrians.

"So, how was it at school today?" Toshiro asked.

"Better than usual… Maybe because you returned heehee…"

_So she was depressed to such a degree… I feel so bad about it I want to puke…_

"Did my tutoring help you at least a weeeee little?"

"I aced the math pop quiz today!" Yoshika shouted with pride.

"Impossible! My girlfriend can't be this smart! Who are you? Give me back my Yoshika!"

"Oh stop goofing off, stupid, people are looking weird at us…"

"Meh, don't care… If they have a beef with me, they can try themselves with me…" Toshiro said while cracking his knuckles.

"Now, now, stop, or you will have one of those outburst of yours…"

"Hah, not possible anymore. The source of my rage has been tamed since five months already, so no way I'm going to flip out that easily."

"Oh? Do tell me more!"

"Well… I told you about the Sacred Flame, right?"

"Well, briefly… What about it?"

"It was an ancient power, which in its impure form hooked itself to the negative emotion, taking over control of the host. But during the battle with the Warlock, after I told all of you off, using rather harsh words for which I'm now ashamed, I managed to subdue the power of the Sacred Flame."

"Ooooooh, how did you do that?" Yoshika asked amazed.

Toshiro put on a subtle smile and raked in Yoshika closer to him. Looking down on the surprised Yoshika from above, with a soft voice, he said, "My feelings towards you were the key, Yoshika. If it weren't for you, I would be engulfed in flames of unquenched rage, and I would do who knows what…"

"R-Really?" Yoshika asked with rosy cheeks.

Toshiro patted Yoshika on her head.

"Yeah, really. Come on, let's pick up the pace."

"Okay!"

They jogged to the Miyafuji clinic, which resulted in Yoshika being out of breath and panting heavily at the doorstep.

"Yoshika, you are so terribly out of shape that it hurts me to watch you…"

"I… couldn't… train… bad…weather…"

"Oh well, it can't be helped…"

They entered the clinic, and they were immediately greeted by Sayaka.

"Hello, Toshiro! Oh, Yoshika? Class ended early?"

"Heehee… Yes mom, thanks to Toshiro."

"Oh?"

"I made such an appearance that the teacher almost fainted, so she dismissed class a tad earlier."

"Well, to see somebody that has been officially buried appear just like that… Anyway, did you buy the pork?"

"Of course." Toshiro said, and passed on the package with the meat to Sayaka.

She unwrapped it, looked at the meat with pietism and said, "My, my… You bought some good meat… Time to put it to use. Will you two help me?"

"Of course!" Toshiro and Yoshika shouted in unison.

Toshiro burped heftily after eating the pork ramen.

"Pardon…" He apologized.

"I deduce that it was good?" Sayaka asked with a sly smile.

"Of course! Our joint effort ensued the creation of a dish that could be awarded an award!"

A knock on the door was heard.

"Hey sonny, why don't you open it?" Grandma asked.

"Sure."

Toshiro stood up and went to the door. He opened it, and saw two unexpected guests from Gallia and Britannia, shaking violently from the cold. They had big suitcases with them, one for each of them.

"Oh, hi you two!"

Both Perrine and Lynne made big eyes and fainted.

_Damn…_

"Who is it?" Yoshika shouted from inside.

"Come and see for yourself." Toshiro replied.

Yoshika ran up to him quickly, and saw the two lying in the snow.

"OH! Perrine! Lynne! But what are they doing in the snow?"

"Methinks they are busy being unconscious. Furthermore, I think that I am to blame. Come on, take Lynne, and I'll take Perrine."

"Okay."

They dragged in both girls in the hallway, and Toshiro quickly fetched their luggage and brought it inside.

"Yoshika, let's bring 'em to the living room."

"Okay."

Lynne and Perrine were dragged to the living room, much to the surprise of Sayaka and Grandma.

"Oh my, where did you find these two?"

"Outside." Yoshika answered.

"The things people throw out these days…" Grandma said, trying to crack a joke.

"Oh grandma, don't be so harsh." Yoshika protested. "Those are my friends, back from the 501st. But I wonder what they are doing here…"

"Let's ask them once they wake up." Toshiro said.

Therefore, they waited a few long minutes, until Lynne started showing signs of consciousness. Proactively, Toshiro went out of the room and listened from the corridor. Sayaka and Grandma went out to the kitchen.

"Yoshika… I had this weird dream… I thought I saw the ghost of Toshiro answering the door for us…"

"That's not far off from the truth, heehee…"

"W-what do you mean, Yoshika?"

"You see… Oh, Perrine, you are also waking up?"

"Mmmmhmmhhhh… What happened?"

"You fainted outside and we dragged you two inside."

"We?"

"Ah yes, I was about to explain it to Lynne. You see, Toshiro returned…"

The silence that fell upon the room could only be compared with a grave.

"Yoshika… So the ghost I saw…" Lynne started slowly.

Toshiro stood up and went to the room, behind Lynne.

"It was me, Lynne."

She jumped up due to his sudden appearance, but quickly turned back.

"T-Toshiro? Is this really you?"

"Really me, Lynne. A bit changed, but it's still me."

"But you had a funeral and all the entourage!" Perrine shouted.

"Believe me, Perrine, not the first and not the last funeral without a body to bury or cremate…"

"And what happened to your hair? It looks nice being so long… And creepy at the same time being so white… And those red eyes…"

"The eyes are a result of my absence that I can tell. On a side note, the snake eyes now won't appear when I'm using magic. As for the hair… You'd better have some tissues handy."

"Huh? Why is that, Toshiro?" Lynne asked confused.

"Well…" Toshiro's voice changed to a neutral, cold voice. "It's a story about my personal tragedy. When I got back to Fuso, I was called to the base commander's office. The good thing is that I was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and got to meet the Navy Chief himself. But then I got this…" Toshiro pulled a piece of paper out of his wallet and presented it to the girls.

They curiously studied it, and Perrine said, "Sorry Toshiro, we can't read it."

Toshiro took back the paper and put it back into his wallet.

"This is my mother's death certificate." Toshiro stopped for a few seconds, watching the pure shock on the girls faces. "The stress is suffered when it came to me what I just read cause my hair to be devoid of color… My mother died only a day before I arrived… After the funeral, I was so depressed that I tried to commit suicide while being drunk like a pig… I was only saved by Yuki preventing the gun from going off…"

As per Toshiro's silent predictions, the two were crying silently, with tears dripping down their beautiful faces.

"I told you, get tissues…" Toshiro said with a shy smile. "Calm down and you can tell me and Yoshika why you have come here, and why the hell are you in summer clothes, okay?"

The two nodded at him. As expected from girls with good upkeep, both had tissues with them. After wiping off their tears and blowing their noses, Perrine started talking.

"Um well… After we learned about your death, we wanted to go immediately to check if Miyafuji…"

"Please, Perrine, call Yoshika by her first name. Her mother is in the kitchen and she might misinterpret something…" Toshiro interrupted.

"Oh, fine… So, Yoshika, Toshiro… We came here to check Yoshika was, and to visit Toshiro's grave… But now that seeing that Toshiro is fine, plus hearing what we've heard, and I think Lynne will agree, I think the both of us should visit the grave of Toshiro's mother…"

"Thanks, Perrine. But now, I would like to know why the hell are you in your normal clothes? It's like minus twenty Celsius outside!"

"That would be my fault…" Lynne said while raising her arm. "I miscalculated how the weather will look here when we arrive… That's why we don't have winter clothing…"

"I can take care of that, I'm on a spending spree. So, Yoshika, what should we do now with our guests?"

"Ummm… Tea would be okay, Lynne and Perrine are probably still cold…"

"Did anyone say tea?" Sayaka said, suddenly entering the room.

She was carrying a platter with four mugs and a kettle.

"Oh mom, you are always the best!" Yoshika cheered with a wide smile on her face.

Perrine immediately stood up and introduced herself.

"Pierrette-Henriette Clostermann, but most people call me Perrine; I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Miyafuji!"

"Oh my, what a well brought up girl, heehee." Sayaka said while putting down the platter on the table. "And who is that young lady behind?"

Lynne positioned herself properly, and gave a traditional bow.

"Lynette Bishop, Lynne for short… Pleased to meet you…"

"You have such nice friends, Yoshika, be sure to take care of them. I'll be in the kitchen if you want anything."

While blushing slightly, Yoshika answered, "Thanks mom…"

They were sipping tea, and of course, Toshiro couldn't help to resist making fun of Perrine.

SLURP

Perrine's brow twitched frantically.

"Please, Toshiro, for the love of God don't start that again…" She said disgruntled.

"Heheheh… Okay, okay. So anyway, how are the two of you doing? Before I went for Fuso with Mio and Yoshika, you said something about restoring Gallia?"

"Ah yes, of course! Lynne and me are roaming around the country and supervising and/or funding the reconstruction efforts… But I'm in a pinch with cash lately…" Perrine said with a gloom face.

Toshiro looked at Yoshika, and received a nod in exchange. He pulled out his wallet, and pulled out a large sum.

"Here, Perrine, one hundred pounds for the reconstruction effort of Gallia."

Perrine's eyes were now the size of saucers.

"I… I can't take so much money, Toshiro. Even if it's for such a noble cause, I can't simply…"

Toshiro shoved the money behind Perrine's collar forcibly.

"Shut up and take my money. My uncle will probably send more anyway."

"Your uncle?"

"Oh right… You were probably on the ship while my funeral was held or you were too busy to hear the news… Or something… Well, prepare for a zinger: my uncle is the Emperor of Karlsland."

Perrine's jaw dropped right down to its physical limits. Lynne was also rather impressed by that statement.

"Uh…Uh…Uh… But…But… But that means that you're some kind of… Graf or… or a baron or something! Oh my!"

"Perrine, calm down, sheesh. First, I'm not exactly comfortable with being a nephew to the Kaiser, and secondly, I don't have any official title. I don't think that I'm officially recognized as a pretender to the throne. But you got me intrigued… Graf von Edelweiss… Sounds good…"

"Edelweiss? Isn't your last name Akayama?" Lynne asked.

"Oh, yes… Since I'm officially dead, arrangements had to be made, and I'm now, listen carefully, Major Toshiro Edelweiss, Karlslandian Wehrmacht, a mostly proud citizen of Karlsland."

"Oh okay, I'll take your money then… On a side note, we have time until Monday morning, which is the day after tomorrow. How should we fill that time?"

"Finish your tea and we will go get you some winter clothes in the city, and my mother's grave. As for tomorrow, we will see."

Everyone drank up their tea, and they went before the door. Yoshika and Toshiro got clad in their warm winter clothes, earning jealous and frightened looks from Lynne and Perrine.

"Umm… Toshiro, how are we going out dressed like this? We will freeze…"

"I got that covered, Lynne. Both of you hop on my back." Toshiro said and kneeled.

"Huh? What?" Perrine asked surprised.

"Just do it, Perrine, I believe I know what Toshiro is up to." Yoshika explained calmly.

"Well, fine…"

The two of them scaled Toshiro's back, and grabbed him by his neck.

"Okay now…" Toshiro mumbled.

A slight orange aura enveloped both the girls on his back.

"Whew… Is it me, or did it get hot right now?" Perrine asked.

"Then let's go outside, shall we?" Toshiro said and ran outside, with the girls protesting.

After a few seconds, Lynne asked, "Toshiro, are you using magic to heat us up now?"

"Yes. I actually had a similar power back in Britannia, but it worked more like a heater. This one on the other hand envelops me or any desired target I'm touching in something akin to a blanket of heat."

"So convenient…" Lynne said amazed. "But why aren't you using it on yourself?"

"And put such a nice snowsuit to waste? Nah… Speaking of which, let's go buy you some warm clothes."

When they arrived at the tailor, Toshiro asked him, "Is there anything warm for these two ladies behind me?"

The tailor looked curiously at the two behind Toshiro, measuring them by eye.

"Why yes, something should their size should lying around here… Pardon me for a moment."

The tailor started rummaging a pile of jackets, pulled out a nice violet one and handed it over to Perrine.

"Here you go little miss, try it on."

"Oh yes, thanks you…"

Perrine put on the jacket, and wiggled a bit in it.

"It fits surprisingly well, Mr. Tailor. And the color and style also fits me."

"I'm glad you like it. As for your friend…" The tailor's eyes wandered to Lynne. "I will have to find something a bit… wider…"

As the tailor turned around, Lynne grabbed her breasts with a wild blush.

_"Still a little on the shy side it seems…"_

_"Not everyone is such an exhibitionist pervert like you…"_

_"Is it me, or is Yoshika just gawking covertly on her breasts?"_

_"It seems so… I believe she has something for huge bosoms…"_

_"Oh right… That time she slipped her tongue when she got a tour of the bath… And I believe she was dreaming about Shirley's rack the other day…"_

_"See? What did I tell you?"_

_"Maybe she's bi-curious?"_

_"I wouldn't jump to such a conclusion… She pretty much loves you and only you… Although… If you two wouldn't come together… You never know… I'm almost sure half of the Witches in the military are crypto-lesbians…"_

_"Now you are the one jumping to conclusions…"_

The tailor returned with a green jacket and passed it on to Lynne. She put it on, barely buttoning it up.

"It seems to be a good fit…" She said shyly.

"Do you have hats or caps handy?" Toshiro asked the tailor.

"Yes, over there, please, help yourselves."

"You heard the man, go pick something."

The two girls nodded and went over to pick something for themselves. After a minute of viewing, comparing and giggling, they returned with some headwear.

Lynne picked up a gray wooly cap, and Perrine took a lilac head warmer, also made from hand knitted wool.

"Wow, you two look beautiful!" Yoshika shouted.

"I concur." Toshiro said. "No let's go to business…"

Toshiro paid the man, and they went out, and to the small cemetery near the temple.

He looked for a bit, but finally found it. The sleek traditional tombstone with the name of his mother was standing beside another one – his own.

"This is it you guys… The left one is my mother's and the right one… heh… as weird as it may sound it's mine."

Lynne and Perrine went forward, kneeled and started a 'Hail Mary'. Toshiro and Yoshika put their hands together and started praying.

_I hope you are really well in the afterlife, mother. See how many friends I have? They all came to honor you, because they are my friends…_

When the girls ended, Toshiro asked them, "I didn't know that the two of you are religious."

"Actually, we all in the 501st were somewhat religious; at least we were raised in such beliefs… We just didn't have time to go to mass and such." Perrine answered calmly. "I remember that before the two of you came, we had a talk about it. Lynne, Lucchini, and I are Catholics. The three from Karlsland and Eila are Protestants. Shirley is a Baptist or something like that, and Sanya is an Orthodox. The Major said she is a Shinto practitioner. What about you two?"

"We both are Shinto, right, Yoshika?"

"Uhum."

"I guess it's good to believe in some higher force in time of need…" Lynne said timidly.

_Believing in them is good, but depending on them is a waste of time, Amaterasu explained it to me thoroughly, and it layman's terms it looks like this – the gods actually give a fuck, but can't do shit._

_The world was created in equilibrium, but gods being unnatural beings threaten that balance with their very existence. For example, my resurrection would probably put a strain on the laws of cause and effect with such force, that an earthquake would have to occur and kill about a thousand of people to restore balance, but thanks to mother sacrificing her own life in exchange; it only gave a slight nudge to those laws. If for every divine intervention an appropriate price is paid, then everything will be all right._

_There are many gods governing this world, of small and big significance, but one might ask: why the fuck didn't they eradicate the Neuroi already? The answer is simple: an event horizon would occur that would plunge Earth into a gravitational singularity, which would rip it and the surrounding galaxy apart like a thousand year old parchment. Of course, there is a possibility for the gods to do so, but Amaterasu already told me the price: 98% of humanity would have to die to achieve such a wonder. Every living human over one year of age would have to perish for the Neuroi to be eradicated… And since toddlers can't take care of themselves… In about a week, the human race would cease to exist… Such is the significance of the Neuroi…_

"But remember that when the gods fail you, you have to stand up on your own." Toshiro said with a bitter smile. "Okay, now that we've paid our respects, we can go home. It's starting to get dark already."

Thus, they went in the direction of the Miyafuji clinic.

* * *

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	5. Chapter 5 – Hot and steamy

Chapter 5 – Hot and steamy

After their return, Toshiro split up from the girls and holed himself up in Yoshika's room, shooed away by his girlfriend herself. When asked about the reason she said, "We will be talking about… girly stuff… Shoo!"

_"Girly schmurly… What the hell could they talk about in private?"_

_"You could be one of the topics, Toshiro. Others would be sex, menstruation, usual gossip, fashion…"_

_"Oh stop there… I get the gist…"_

Toshiro decided to read a book until he is 'summoned'. One of the books he swiped from the storage room was a printed copy of the 'Miyafuji Theorem'. He opened it on the first page, there was a dedication handwritten there.

'I hope I will get back home soon, Yoshika, Sayaka.'

Awwwwwww….

There was also a printed dedication in the preface.

'To my best friend and fateful comrade, Lucas Andrew Edelweiss. Thank you."

_So they were so close… Well, another thread connecting our families… Time to read this stuff…_

Well into his lecture, Toshiro saw the door moving. A cheerful Yoshika peeked in.

"Oh, I see you are reading that book…"

Yoshika closed in to Toshiro and lied down by him.

"Did you see the printed dedication?"

"Well, I remember the written one; I got very happy that dad gave some sign of life… What was the dedication about?"

Toshiro flipped to the relevant page and let Yoshika read it.

"Oh… Wow… So this is what it was about… It seems that our fathers were close friends…" Yoshika said silently while embracing Toshiro and placing her head on his chest.

"Yeah… A shame we don't know the details… But anyway, I have the feeling you want something from me."

She tilted her head a little to look him in the eyes and said, "Heehee… Well… Could you prepare a bath for us? I don't want to bother mom… You know how to do it, right?"

"Somewhat… You have a hot tub that's directly heated by the fire underneath?"

"Yeah. You load the wood from the outside, there's a stack of it just by the fire hole."

"And the water?"

"A well is dug just behind the clinic."

"Okay you little devil, I'll do it for you. Want it hot or boiling hot?"

"Just hot will do it, like in Britannia..."

"Give me twenty minutes, and you three can soak yourselves in a warm bath all together."

"Heehee, thanks…"

Toshiro started doing his errand. Because it would be a hassle to always pull off shoes, he decided to use the Heat Aura on himself, and do it just dressed in a uniform and barefoot. After pouring in enough water in the bath, he decided to pre-heat it, and put his hands in the water.

_"Okay, Toshiro… Wait for it… Wait… Okay, now!"_

He pulled out his hands, and disabled the aura for a minute.

"Yes… The water is just right… Hmm… I have an idea…"

He went to the living room, where the girls were sitting and asked, "Hey, what about if I just heat the water myself, and don't bother with making a fire?"

They looked at him with wide-open eyes and red faces.

"Judging by your reactions, I'll go start the fire already…" Toshiro said sadly. "By the way, the water is hot already, you can jump in…"

Toshiro went out and started a small fire under the tub, careful not to overheat the water. Curiosity took the better of him, and he eavesdropped using Yuki's power.

He heard the girls chattering and the water giving off a silent splash.

"Hey, Lynne, Perrine, how is it?" Yoshika asked with high spirits.

"Pleasantly warm, but a bit crowded…" Perrine replied with a grumpy voice. "But… Maybe if we do something about those jugs of Lynne there will be more room!"

"Iyaaah!" Lynne shouted in panic. "Get off my breasts!"

"Oh stop it you two! Or I'll call Toshiro and invite him to bathe with us…"

The shouting stopped immediately.

"Heehee… I'm joking. But I would like to take a bath with him…"

_"Enough is enough, damn! I have to stop listening!"_

_"The gentleman has awoken in you?"_

_"I don't feel comfortable spying on Yoshika… It's… Wrong..."_

_"At least that… Stoke the fire will you?"_

A while later, the small panel above him slid open and Yoshika peaked out in the cold.

"Hey, Toshiro, you can bathe in a few minutes, I will leave you a towel."

"Thanks, but now go back inside, you'll catch a cold… Oh wait… You said you never actually caught a cold in your life."

"You remember that? Heehee… You can go in now yourself; I can't watch you standing like that in the cold, with bare feet and short sleeves…"

"Although you know I'm protected from the cold?"

"Yes…" She blushed slightly while answering and quickly hid inside.

_Yoshika is so cute sometimes that I have to check if I don't have diabetes soon…_

Toshiro went inside after a few minutes, and saw the dressed girls drying their hair with towels.

"Thank you for the bath, Toshiro." Lynne said as soon as she spotted him.

"No problem. I'll go take a dip myself now."

He entered the steamy bath alone and undressed himself. He sat on a small stool, poured water over his body, and started soaping himself.

Suddenly he felt warm frail hands on his back.

"Yoshika… Why are you here, you little pervert?"

"Well… I wanted to show you how to wash such long hair…"

"But you have short hair yourself."

"When mother was younger, she wore her hair loose. It was as long as yours, so I always helped her washing it…"

"Heh… Okay, you can wash it if you like."

Yoshika proceeded with soaking his hair first. Then, she applied the first dose of shampoo. After rinsing, she repeated, rinsed again and applied some conditioner.

"Got it?" She asked.

"Pretty much, thanks. I can't wait to see my shining hair in the mirror. But wait… If I get in the bath like that, I'll ruin it…"

"Nothing I haven't thought about!" She said and pulled out some rubber bands and hairpins.

After a minute, she finished.

"That should work now. You can enter the bath with clear conscience, and I'll be going since… I'm not… accustomed… to your… hmmm… yet…"

She quickly darted out of the bathroom.

_"Still shy, huh?"_

_"She didn't see you for four months you idiot, how could she get accustomed to that dong of yours?"_

_"Valid point…"_

Toshiro went into the bath and relaxed. After a while, he exited, since he was too lazy to reheat the water.

When he dried himself up, he put on his clothes and exited the bathroom. To his surprise, the girls were waiting for him, and after they saw him, they started snickering.

"What are you laughing at, huh?" Toshiro asked.

Perrine gave him a hand mirror, still giggling fiercely.

Toshiro looked at his face, and turned his attention to his hair. Seeing his new hairdo, styled like he was a geisha, he almost bent in half while laughing. Sayaka and Grandma came to them, alarmed by the cackling of Toshiro, and they started laughing themselves.

A few minutes later, after everyone stopped laughing, Toshiro said, "Well, Yoshika, I have to say: you know how to pull a practical joke…"

Toshiro undid all the pins and bands restraining his hair, and let it flow down across his shoulders.

"Wow… You did a good job washing my hair, Yoshika… It literally glistens…"

"Least I can do for my boyfriend…"

After supper, the time to get to bed came along. When the four of them entered Yoshika's room, a problem arose.

"Yoshika… There's only one bedroll and one bed… How are we going to sleep?" Lynne asked timidly.

"Um… Well…" Yoshika searched for an answer, but Toshiro was faster.

"You two can sleep on the bed as our guests, me and Yoshika can sleep in one bedroll, since… well… she seems to like it…" Toshiro said with a wry smile.

"Eheheheh…" Yoshika gave of a dry laugh while scratching her head.

"I can sleep with Lynne in one bed, I don't have any objections." Perrine said in her usual 'I don't care' tone.

"I don't have any objections either." Lynne said. "But… Our night clothes are in the bags and…"

"Say no more."

Toshiro went and fetched the bags.

"Well… But now we would like to change… And… Well…" Lynne started reddening quickly.

"Yeah, yeah… Call me when you are finished…"

Toshiro went out of the room, and waited for the girls to call him. When they did it, Toshiro returned and saw the three in their nightgowns from Britannia.

"I see that nothing changed to be honest… Well then…"

Toshiro undressed himself before the girls, right down to his underpants.

"Oh! Toshiro… You changed a bit… Your muscles look more… muscly…" Perrine said fascinated.

"I trained hard all the time, so nothing unusual about that. Okay girls, bed time."

Perrine and Lynne huddled up together on Yoshika's bed and Toshiro into the bedroll with Yoshika.

"Goodnight everyone." Yoshika said.

"Goodnight Yoshika, Goodnight Toshiro." Lynne answered.

"Goodnight you two lovebirds…" Perrine said.

"Goodnight." Toshiro said to the two.

Toshiro received a quick peck on the cheek from Yoshika.

"Goodnight, Toshiro."

"Night, Yoshika."

They fell asleep embracing each other tenderly.

In the morning, Toshiro woke up just before the door to his room slid open. Surprisingly, it wasn't Sayaka. It wasn't even Grandma. The one who peeked into the room was Mio.

"Hello all." She whispered.

"Hi, Mio. What brings you here?"

"I have a surprise for all of you, but even I don't have the heart to wake up the girls. They look so cute…"

Toshiro took a quick peak around the room. Yoshika was sleeping soundly, embracing him with one arm. Perrine was sleeping with her back to Lynne, which pressed with her breasts against her.

"Wake them up, Mio. Let them relive some memories, heheheheh…" Toshiro laughed. "But first…" He said and plugged his ears with his fingers and nodded.

"RISE AND SHINE LADIES!" Mio shouted.

Perrine and Lynne stood up in attention in 3.4 seconds.

"M-M-Major! You here?!" Perrine could not believe her eyes.

"Major Sakamoto…. Uwaaaah… How nice to meet you again…" Lynne said half asleep.

"Huuh… What's happening, Toshiro…?" Yoshika said with her eyes closed.

"Mio came to visit us, and I guess you should wake up."

"Okay… uwaaaah…" She yawned and opened her eyes.

"Miyafuji… If you were still in the Nav…" Mio suddenly coughed. "Pardon… If you were still in the 501st, I would have you run laps for taking so long to wake up! You've become weak and mushy! Maybe a trip to the spa will liven you up a bit?"

_If she was still in the Nav…? Something's not right in Baltland…_

"Okay… When are we going?" Yoshika asked.

"Now! You have fifteen minutes, and then we go to the spa."

"Aaaaw… But we didn't even eat breakfast…" Yoshika moaned.

"Don't worry, I bought an all-inclusive package, you can eat until the food comes out of your ears."

Yoshika stood up immediately and shouted, "Then let's go!"

_What a change of attitude…_

Toshiro quickly put on his uniform and went out of the room so that the girls could get dressed. Using the time alone, he asked Mio, "Mio… I believe you wanted to say something different than '501st' back then, right?"

"Ugh… I'll only tell you if you don't tell anyone else."

"Okay, sure."

"Miyafuji was dishonorably discharged after what happened in Britannia… I never told her that… I actually lied to her that she went to the reserves…"

"Mio, Mio, Mio… Tsk… But you know what? She really doesn't need to know, let's keep it that way."

"I was expecting some kind of outburst…"

"Those times belong to the past, Mio. Since I assimilated with the Sacred Flame properly, I'm not a walking time bomb with a short fuse. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. And it's not like you hurt Yoshika in any way… Plus, considering what she did, I mean disobeying direct orders multiple times, I'm actually happy that Yoshika only flew out of the army…"

"I'm glad you are so considerate right now. A shame the 501st was disbanded… Now you would be a one man army…"

"The unit is disbanded, but the people are still alive. Maybe we should meet sometime…"

"Maybe… But for now let's think about that spa, shall we?"

"Did you pay for this?"

"Yes. Much like you, I have a little pile of cash. Since I was always careful how I spend money, and since the military provided me with most necessities, I have a nice fund going…"

"Fund huh… Say… Perrine said that she's gathering funds for the restoration of Gallia. I already gave her a hundred, but maybe you could also chip in? If she got another hundred from you, she would probably flip from happiness."

"Restoration of Gallia… Ah, what the hell, I can chip in. But don't tell her anything yet."

"Being awfully secretive today, huh?"

"A woman has to have some secrets."

"Heh… Oh, seems like the girls are ready."

The three approached them, clad in their usual clothes.

"Onwards! A day of pleasure and relaxation awaits us!" Mio cheered.

They arrived before the spa resort. Its look alone almost guaranteed the best quality of service.

"Ms. Sakamoto, are we really going there? It looks awfully expensive…"

"And it is. But don't worry, I paid for everything, and we can do whatever we wish."

"Finally a place worthy of me!" Perrine shouted excited.

They entered the building.

The five of them spent the whole day on eating, lazing, being massaged, eating, bathing in mud, eating and napping. In the evening, Mio gave a proposition, "How about some mixed bathing? I already reserved a bath for the whole evening!"

"Meh, why not…" Toshiro replied.

The girls looked at him as if he was a pervert prince.

"What… What did you do with the Major?" Perrine asked terrified.

"Oh… Well, Mio surprised me a few times, entering the bath when I was taking a dip. Aside from me now knowing the qualities of her naked body, and vice versa, nothing else happened, if you are concerned about that."

"But… How could the Major…"

"Perrine… You are doing it again… I'll be blunt: you swoon over Mio, and literally melt when she talks to you, but you don't know square shit about her culture. That's why you were always bitching on Yoshika: her making natto, slurping tea and bitching about the lamprey oil. And now this… If you'd have more info, you'd know that mixed bathing is a thing here… But whatever, where's the bath, Mio?"

She pointed before him.

"Dibs on the bath!" He shouted and darted forward.

"Hey! Wait up!" Yoshika shouted.

Toshiro zipped along the corridors, and ran into the changing room. He stripped in a second, and took a shower. Just before he ended, Mio ran in, and also stripped.

Toshiro darted out from under the shower and ran into the bath with a big splash.

"Ahhhhhh…." He said while relaxing.

Mio approached him stark naked, her breasts as big and firm as they were five months ago. She shook her head and said:

"Like some teenager… Eh…"

She entered the water just beside him.

"I wonder if the girls will muster the courage to join us…"

"Yoshika will probably join us, because of you, although… Let me ask you: how far did you go with her?"

"Kissing. Sorry, no bonus."

"Well, good enough…"

As Mio predicted, Yoshika appeared. But nobody would predict her attitude right now. She was marching forward, chin up high and her small breasts poking the air before her.

"My, my, Miyafuji! What an attitude!"

"If Ms. Sakamoto can bathe with Toshiro, so can I!"

She entered the water and placed herself besides Toshiro.

"You can embrace me, Toshiro…" She said red as a lobster.

"Nah… I see that you are forcing yourself to do this…"

"No… I really mean it… I'll even lead your hand, so you don't stray too much, okay?"

"Okay, okay…"

She took his left hand, and placed it just around her waist.

"There… Is that good?"

"Perfect, Yoshika." Toshiro said with a smile.

"Get a room you two…" Mio said disgruntled.

They both giggled, just as Lynne and Perrine appeared. The two were wearing towels and were walking rigidly towards the bath, Perrine hiding behind Lynne.

"Hey, you two, come in, the bath is big enough for everyone to fit." Toshiro said with a friendly voice.

"But… We… We…" Lynne started stuttering.

"You want to wee-wee?"

"No! You'll see us naked and…"

"Big deal… I saw you naked once already remember? I marched in while almost all of you were bathing."

"But…"

"Lynne, Perrine, are you going in the damn bath or are you freezing over there?!" Mio shouted agitated.

"Y-yes ma'am!" The both responded hastily, removed the towels and jumped in.

"Thank you for your cooperation…" Mio said sarcastically.

"Mmmmmhhhhmmmm…. This bath is so relaxing… Even better than the one yesterday…" Yoshika said in bliss.

"I'm glad you like it, Miyafuji. What about you, Toshiro?"

"A bath like a bath, sheesh… Only this one is open air, so you have a strange temperature correlation, right now that it's winter…"

As time passed, Perrine and Lynne loosened up a bit. The full moon was shining on them from the cloudless sky. Yoshika stood up, looked at the moon and said, "Beautiful… It's so peaceful and quiet here… I can't believe a war is going on somewhere at this very moment… It sounds like a lie…"

Everyone looked at her, inspired by those words. Then Mio stood up, and with a distant voice, she said, "Yes… However, everyone is fighting now, believing that one day, peace will come. Dreaming the same things… Hoping the same things… All over the world…" She made a brief pause and continued. "Also… It's not like using a gun is the only way to fight, right? Miyafuji?"

"Y-yes?" Yoshika tripped and fell into the water, surprised by the sudden question.

"What is your dream?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"My… My dream? My dream is… To use my ability for the sake of many people!"

Suddenly, Perrine stood up, and shamelessly shouted, "I want to reconstruct Gallia as fast as possible!" Then she started swooning and said "And I want to show M-Major Sakamoto all the beautiful cities of Gallia."

"I want the same as Perrine… I guess…" Lynne said. "I have to do my best to give all the people who evacuated to Britannia a chance to return to their own countries. And I want to be a good wife, like my sister Wilma."

"Oh, did she marry?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes. She married an officer from Faraway Land in October. Her shields wouldn't function anymore, so she decided to retire."

"Good for her…" Toshiro mumbled. "So, you want to hear my dream now?"

Everyone looked at Toshiro now.

"Very well then…" Toshiro stood up. "My dream… My dream is a world of peace, a world where all of you can live peacefully and fulfill our personal goals and dreams… A world where Yoshika and I can thrive without fearing what tomorrow will bring… And I will fight for this dream with my whole existence…"

"Hahaha!" Mio laughed. "Very well! Your own dreams are things only you can fight for! We may have different goals, but at the core, we are all fighting for the same thing. You are all fighting for the sake of the things you want to protect, just as much as anyone else! So today, you should rest well! To prepare for continuing the fight for the things you believe in tomorrow!"

"YEAH!" They cheered.

Toshiro looked at Lynne, which was gawking at his lower regions curiously.

"S-so… This is a man's… sausage…"

"Want to touch?" Toshiro said with a devilish smile.

"Waaaaah! Nooooo! Nooo way!"

'I wouldn't let you anyway; this piece of meat is now sole property of Yoshika."

"Hey!" Yoshika shouted in disapproval and spanked him in the butt.

"Oh! You are playing rough, Yoshika?" Toshiro said after turning around. "How about I start playing rough?"

"N-n-n-n-n-no thanks!" She said stuttering heavily while waving her hands in declining gestures.

"I think we had enough for today." Mio said. "Off we go."

They slept in the resorts hotel. Toshiro got a single room, Mio and Yoshika had their room, as well as Lynne and Perrine.

In the morning, they left the spa, and went to the clinic to fetch the bags of the girls. They went to the port, where a big ocean liner was waiting for them.

They stood before the ship, giving their goodbyes. Lynne was embracing Yoshika, both with tears in their eyes."

"Yoooooshikaaa…. I will miss you… I will really miss you…"

"I know, Lynne… I will miss you to, really…" Yoshika responded and wiped off the tears of Lynne's face. "You know what? I've been thinking and… Lynne, Perrine, Ms. Sakamoto, Commander Minna, Barkhorn, Hartmann, Eila, Sanya, Lucchini, Shirley and of course my Toshiro… We're all connected by our hopes and dreams! And by the will to protect something! We are all connected, under the same sky! So it doesn't matter how far we're separated from each other, we'll be all right!" Yoshika stopped and put hear forehead to Lynne's, which was now crying again. "Someday… I'm sure we'll meet again, Lynne…"

While Lynne was still with Yoshika, Perrine approached Mio and Toshiro.

"Um... Major… I…"

Mio interrupted her, patting her on the head.

"Perrine, you have a tendency to try a little too hard, don't overdo things too much, okay?" She interrupted and pulled out an envelope. "Here, something for Gallia, I hope I will visit it in its full beauty one day…"

Perrine took the envelope, and her eyes started running with tears after seeing the sum of money inside. She ran up to Mio and hugged her.

"Major… I promise… I will put this money to good use… Moreover, I promise, I will study the culture of Fuso diligently! I won't commit a faux pas again!"

"There, there…" Mio said and patted her on the back.

Lynne and Perrine boarded the ship and it soon left the docks, majestically sailing towards Europe. Yoshika was waving her hand, shouting behind the ship:

"Goodbyeeeee! See you soooon!"

As they were about to leave the pier, Toshiro saw an aircraft landing on the water and docking to the pier. It was a grey Blohm & Voss BV 222 'Wiking' airboat. The 3-bladed propellers attached to six Junkers Jumo 207C engines started stopping, as the 37-meter long behemoth slowed down.

Toshiro approached the plane, and a door opened. The one who looked out of it was an old acquaintance of his.

"Long time no see, Toshiro!"

* * *

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	6. Chapter 6 – Zum Dienst!

Chapter 6 – Zum Dienst!

"Adolfine? Oh hi! What brings you here?" Toshiro asked clearly surprised.

"Toshiro? Is that you? I almost didn't recognize you with that hair!" Adolfine, clad in a light winter jacket shouted back.

"Well, not everyone knows about my current look to be honest. So, what gives with this visit?"

"I told you I'd contact you in a few days, didn't I?"

"Well, hell, I thought you would contact me via radio or something…"

"And how could I do that? You are not a member of the IFN, remember?"

"Yeah… Huh?" Toshiro felt a tug on his shirts sleeve. "What is it Yoshika?"

"Who is that again, Toshiro? I think I saw her…"

"That's Brigadier General Adolfine Galland, the Karlsland Emperors advisor. She was at Erica's award ceremony."

"Oh, now I remember! She's ranked even higher than you!"

"Hey, what are you talking about there, huh?" Adolfine interrupted with a smile.

"Oh, I'm just refreshing Yoshika's memory. Say, what brings you here?"

"Hmmm… Can we eat first? I'm starving, and I could use some Fuso cuisine right now…"

"Don't worry, Galland, Miyafuji could probably take you in, right?" Mio asked boldly.

"Um, yes!" She answered.

Adolfine approached Mio, and unexpectedly they shook their hands.

"You have grown quite nicely, Mio."

"And you didn't age a bit, Galland, hahaha!"

Toshiro tilted his head in surprise.

"Um… Could it be that the two of you know each other?" He asked.

"Why yes we do, Toshiro. Back in '37, I was visiting Fuso and by chance I helped Mio with her training."

"Yes… Galland helped me improve my Magic Eye ability…"

"And she is now better than me in that manner!" Adolfine shouted proudly.

"Huh, what? You have that ability too, Adolfine?" Toshiro asked totally dumbfounded.

For a second, Adolfine's right eye flashed purple.

"Yes I do, but I have to use the scope I always carry to limit my field of vision." After saying that she patted Mio on the back. "Mio on the other hand trained so damn hard that she can focus without accessories! Goddamn Fusan witches always try the hardest! So, let's go, shall we?"

They arrived at the Miyafuji clinic. Right on the doorstep, just after Yoshika opened the door, Sayaka peeked out of the living room.

"Oh, you are back, Yoshika. And you have quite the entourage…"

"Good morning Mrs. Miyafuji, I'm Adolfine Galland, and one could say that I'm Toshiro's boss."

"Oh my, did Toshiro do anything?"

"No, no… But could I please get some breakfast first? I was flying for almost a day straight…"

"Of course, please, come inside."

The four of them seated themselves, and after a brief introduction, Grandma disappeared somewhere. Yoshika went into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Toshiro finally spoke up.

"So, Adolfine, what brings you here?"

"Are you eager to hear it, sheesh… Well, our Kaiser and your uncle seriously wanted to promote you to some absurd rank, and place you in the Rosario HQ… But I persuaded most of it out of him, and even modified the original plan a bit…"

Cold sweat appeared on Toshiro's forehead as she said that.

"And w-what would the modifications look like?" He asked with a trembling voice.

"You are to fly to Africa and join the 31st JFS near Tobruk in role of a supervisor. I think it will be be…"

The loud noise of breaking ceramics interrupted Adolfine. Everyone looked at the source of the noise, and saw Yoshika with her hands forward, as if she was carrying a plate. The plate itself was on the ground shattered, with mugs and sushi pieces lying on scattered all over. Yoshika's face was pale; her eyes lost all their shine. Her lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

"Yoshika, what…"

"No… No… No.. NO!" Yoshika shouted and lunged at Toshiro, hugging him with all the strength she could find in her small body. "You can't leave! Not now! Not when we are together again! I forbid you!"

Toshiro felt as his shirt started getting wet from Yoshika's tears.

"Adolfine… You just made one hell of a mess now…" Toshiro said with a resigned voice.

"Huh?"

"You don't understand? Yoshika is my girlfriend, but you should already know that. She was waiting three months for me, living only with the hope that someday I'll stand at the door of the clinic and return. But then I was pronounced dead, and her world shattered like a those mugs and plates right there. When I returned, she looked as if she spent ten thousand years mourning… Just looking at her made me sad… And now you come here, and tell that you are taking me away through half the world…"

"I'm really sorry; Toshiro, but you should have known what you are signing in for joining the Wehrmacht. We Karlslandians are known to be resourceful, and we cannot afford to put such an asset like you to waste. If it is of any importance, your mission will only last for a month after you arrive. You are to assess and supervise the work of the 31st JFS both as an emissary of the Kaiser, and of the United Allied Forces."

"Ugh… Can't anyone else do it?"

"You are already approved by all people that needed to approve you, so no. Besides, you need to learn how the army works from another point of view, so you have a full experience. That Major rank you got can't be an empty rank; those were your own words, Toshiro…"

"I see… And if I refuse?"

"Then I have orders to take you there by force, or shoot you down as you stand…" Adolfine said with a grim face.

Yoshika started crying louder on that remark.

"Ehh…" Toshiro sighed heavily. "Why are you doing this to me, Adolfine…? Okay, I'm coming peacefully, since you have such convincing 'arguments'…"

Yoshika's grip tightened even further as she began to use magic.

"Please don't go… Please… I beg you… Toshiro…"

Toshiro hugged her back and said, "I have to go, my princess… Duty calls... I promise you, that come April, we will be together again, unless I get some other stupid assignment. I'll send you telegrams so you'll know I'm okay, deal?"

Yoshika looked at him with eyes swollen from tears and nodded.

"Okay…" She said with a barely audible voice, and her animal ears disappeared.

Toshiro looked at Galland and asked, "We are going right now, right?"

"Yes. Bring whatever you need with yourself, and let's go…" Adolfine said with guilt reverberating in her voice.

"Give me a minute…" Toshiro sighed.

Toshiro stood up and went to Yoshika's room. He opened his chest, changed into the Luftwaffe uniform and fastened the ammo pouch plus pistol to his belt.

_"You didn't protest, Yuki?"_

_"I'm okay with that, actually. Your relationship could actually benefit from a short separation…"_

He took the chest with him and went to the living room.

"I'm ready."

"Let's go then."

Adolfine and Toshiro went to the exit. Just as they were about to open the door, Yoshika suddenly shouted.

"Wait, Toshiro!"

He turned around slowly, and only saw a flash jumping at him. Yoshika kissed him with such passion that he dropped the chest he was carrying.

"That's so you won't forget about me…" She said with rosy cheeks.

"Now I won't for sure." Toshiro said with a smile.

As Toshiro entered the flying boat, he saw an enormous amount of supplies and gear.

"Adolfine, what gives with the stuff here?"

"Supplies for the 31st, at least those non-perishable. For food and water, we will make a stop in Gibraltar; the supplies are already arranged there."

Toshiro looked around further, and saw something familiar. He went closer, and his eyes reached the size of saucers as a familiar shape was recognized by him under the canvas.

"Adolfine… Is that…"

"What? You thought we are sending you out as some paper-pusher? Oh no my dear, you will also be fighting, alongside pushing papers. The African front is still in turmoil, despite the efforts of many."

"Well, now it makes more sense to be honest…"

"I wanted to tell you this earlier, but I saw the reaction of your girlfriend… Poor girl…"

"Anything else I need to know…?" Toshiro sighed.

"Since you will be the supervisor, you'll have power over the unit. Don't worry though, the commanding officer is also in rank of Major, so you won't have to feel strange about that. Furthermore, I was given authorization to give you judicial qualifications."

"But I don't know shit about military law, other than the fact that standing before a judicial officer usually means problems…"

"Don't worry about that. During the flight, which is scheduled for a week by the way, you will be learning from a book. When you feel ready, I will do an oral exam with you, and if you pass, you get the qualifications. Of course you may fail, but it would be good for you to have an additional ace in the sleeve, right?"

"I suppose so…"

"Oh, and… Let's take care of some paperwork before we lift off, okay?"

"Sure…"

Adolfine led him to a bench, on which a small locker was present. She put in down and sat on the bench, as did Toshiro. She pulled out a military ID, and gave it to him.

Toshiro looked at it. It had no photograph of him, and it didn't have his signature, but besides that, it was complete.

"You may wonder why there's no photo of you, right? I somehow anticipated you would change, heh… We will make a photo in LA, since I don't have the necessary equipment here." She said and passed him a pen. "Place your signature in the ID and you can take it."

Toshiro gave his signature and placed the ID in his wallet.

"Okay… Now, your military record needs to be supplemented with your thumb print and signature."

"Don't tell me you have an ink pad for that occasion…"

"I have, heh…"

She pulled out and ink pad and a small ink container.

"Unbelievable…"

She poured the ink in the inkpad and placed it on the bench.

"Okay, Toshiro, press your right thumb against the pad, and then stamp it in this box." She said while pointing to a specific place in his papers.

Toshiro did that, and it turned out well as expected.

"Okay…" She muttered and pulled out an envelope. "And this is your first pay, ninety pounds."

"Are you kidding me?!" Toshiro shouted.

"You won't get more, silly. You're only a Major…"

"No, I mean… Ugh, ninety pounds, what will I do with this money…"

"You can use it as TP if you'd like, I don't care…"

Toshiro placed the money in his wallet, which started looking fat now.

"Okay, what else do you have for me?"

"Eager, huh? I got some medals for you, two to be exact. And don't worry, they got reinstated to the living you, not the dead you."

"Show me them already, and let's start flying…"

She pulled out one box, and opened it.

"I told you about the possibility of earning the medal for your kill count, and here it is: the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. And here's the certificate for it." Adolfine handed him a piece of paper.

"Heh, now I'll have the same medal as Erica… And what's the second one?" Toshiro said and put the medal and certificate in his chest.

"This one is a treat, I assure you."

Adolfine pulled out another box, and opened it. Inside, was a medal, shaped in a so-called Maltese Asterisk, enameled in white with gold gilded tips. In its center, was a gilded disc with a woman's head, and 'République de Gallia' written on a blue enameled ring around it. Underneath the cross was a green enameled laurel, and above it was an oak wreath. The whole medal was attached to a red ribbon, which was further connected to a neckpiece.

"I don't know of this medal, Adolfine."

"The Republic of Gallia has gave you this medal for destroying the Neuroi Hive back then. This is the Legion of Honor in Commanders class. To simplify, this is the highest Gallian award to date, and the class of it is in the middle of the classification."

"If only Perrine was here… Anyway, is there also a certificate for that?"

"Of course!" She said and handed it to him.

As Toshiro couldn't read Gallian, he just placed it with the order inside the chest.

"Oh hey, Toshiro!" Adolfine moaned disappointed. "Won't you be wearing those? You are a high ranked officer right now; you should represent your Vaterland with pride!"

"As if I was listening to Trude… Okay, okay…"

Toshiro pulled out both of his new medals, and placed them on his neck in such a way that they were both visible, with the Knights Cross on top.

"Splendid! Now you look perfect! But there's still more!" She shouted with pride.

"You want me to look like a Christmas tree?"

"Heehee, no, but rules are rules…" She pulled a box. "These are your insignia, both normal and tropical variants."

Toshiro opened the box and saw a lot of epaulettes and collar patches.

"Any help with discerning this?" Toshiro asked.

"Oh, right. So, the orange patches are for tropical uniforms, so let's not worry about that." She pulled out one of the epaulettes and showed it to him.

The design of it was eight silver braided cords, wrapped on top around a silver button. The color of the underlay was light gray, symbolizing affiliation to a witch unit.

"This is a Major rank epaulette; wear it with pride, Toshiro. Here, let me attach it…"

Adolfine swiftly attached the epaulettes to his shoulderboards.

"And now, this is a collar patch, and as the name indicates, it's worn on the collar. Since you only have flaps on your uniform, it will present itself a bit better than on those high collars of some generals…"

The collar patch was a trapeze, with two parallel silver bars connected on the ends, with gold bars on top of them. The underlay was also gray.

Adolfine pulled out a needle and thread, and started sewing them on. After just two minutes, she was finished.

"There you go, pride of the Wehrmacht! I'll attach the insignia to your Afrika Korps and that long sleeve version of your current uniform while we are flying."

"Looking at you, I wouldn't say that you knew how to sew, Adolfine. No offence!"

She laughed briefly and said, "None taken, Toshiro. You know, besides being a soldier, I'm also a woman, so I have to know some things." Adolfine turned around and used the PA system. "Okay, Udo, we can start now!"

"Verstanden, Frau Generalmajor." A voice came from the speaker.

"Okay, Toshiro. Sit tight, we are going to Africa!"

* * *

**Notes:**

**Chapter name - '(ready) For service!'**

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	7. Chapter 7 – Aloha!

Chapter 7 – Aloha!

"You should take a break, Toshiro. Seriously, reading ten hours straight?"

"Okay, Adolfine… Uwaaah…" Toshiro yawned and put away the 'Military law and code of conduct of the United Allied Forces, revision three'.

"So, how is it going? Learning anything?" She asked.

"Yeah… The book is a tad stale, but I learned some nice things by now…" Toshiro said with a groggy voice.

"You should take a nap; you've read half of the book already in one go."

"You think so?"

"Yes, that's and order." She said with a smile.

"Jawohl…" Toshiro said and lied down on the floor.

When Toshiro woke up, he felt a strong aroma of coffee.

"I see you are waking up, Toshiro. Care for a cup of coffee?" Adolfine said while sipping coffee herself.

Toshiro lifted himself up and saw a kettle with steam coming out of it, a small gas fueled portable stove and a paper bag with the following text printed on it:

500 Gramm

Kaffee-Ersatz-Mischung

15% Bohnen-Kaffee

85% Malz-Kaffee

Schmidt und Sohn

"Malt coffee? Did Karlsland fall so low to produce such crap?"

"War is roaring on, and money is needed to purchase other necessities, not coffee beans… So you want it or not?"

"Yeah… How long did I sleep by the way?"

"Scientifically proven optimal eight hours. We have about three hours till landing."

"Landing where?"

"Ah, that a secret. You'll like the place though." She replied and winked.

Toshiro took a cup of coffee from her and took a sip.

"Hmmm… Not half bad… I imagined it to be worse…"

"What? Any unpleasant experience with coffee?"

"Heh… One of the girls back in Britannia, Eila, made coffee for our night watch witch, Sanya. She didn't pay attention, and made something akin to tar… Even Minna with her weird taste passed on it after sipping it once…"

"How did it end?" She asked curiously.

"Sanya had to lie down in the infirmary because of caffeine overdose, but apart from that nothing happened. But believe me, that coffee could be used to grease tank road wheels…"

"Haha… Oh…" Adolfine suddenly realized something, and picked up a packet from the floor. "Here, crackers."

Toshiro took the packet and said, "Thanks. But I hope we can buy something more… nutritious when we get on land, right?"

"I'm looking forward to it myself." She said with a smile.

After Toshiro munched down some crackers, he returned to where he left off with the book.

Three hours have passed, and the PA system started broadcasting the voice of the pilot.

"Frau Generalmajor, we are approaching our destination."

Adolfine pressed the button and said, "Verstanden."

Toshiro closed his book at about sixty-five percent of completion.

"A shame there are no windows here, Toshiro. You would probably pass out from the magnificent scenery."

"Now you got me interested…"

After a short while, the plane tilted as they were approaching to land. The landing itself was smooth and soft, Toshiro didn't even have to grab onto anything while he was standing, awaiting eagerly.

A few long minutes later, the PA system awoke.

"We are ready for disembarkation, Frau Generalmajor."

Adolfine bent over and pulled out something from the locker.

"Here, catch!" She said and threw something at Toshiro.

He caught the mysterious item with one hand, and looked at it. Those were Ray-Ban Aviator sunshades, in perfect condition.

"Huh? Sunshades?" Toshiro asked.

Adolfine put a pair of shades on herself and answered.

"Trust me; you'll need them here and in Africa."

"Where is 'here' actually?"

"Open the door and see for yourself."

Toshiro put on the shades and approached the door muttering profanities, but as he opened it, he immediately shut up.

Despite being in a dock, he saw a slew of palm trees and sandy beachheads, surrounded by azure-celadon, crystal clear water. At the same time, he saw an enormous amount of destroyers, dreadnoughts and aircraft carriers in the docks.

A hand fell on his shoulder.

"So, how do you like it?"

"Will you finally tell me where we are?" Toshiro said a little irritated.

"We're in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor to be exact."

"Pearl Harbor?"

"Yes, the biggest Liberian harbor off-continent, and it has an interesting story behind it. December 6th, 1941, the radars picked up a massive wave of Neuroi coming from the hive over the Midway Atoll. Every able witch and ship was sent to battle them at sea. Many lives were lost that day, but that sacrifice saved the people of Hawaii from an even bigger massacre. Imagine what would happen if the Neuroi would attack the unprepared islands next day…" Adolfine turned around and reached into Toshiro's chest, pulling out the Schirmmütze that fitted the uniform. "Put it on, or you could get a nasty stroke."

Toshiro approached her and took the peaked cap.

"You are caring for me better than my mother sometimes…"

"Think of me more as an aunt, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Adolfine."

She shuddered when he said that.

"You know what, scratch the 'aunt' part, and just call me by my name… I felt like I have fifty year when you called me aunt…"

"Heh… So, where are we going?"

"While the pilots refuel and do maintenance, we have to acquire provisions for them and ourselves. And I believe you would want to send a telegram to a certain girl, right?" She asked with a sly smile.

"Right… So, starting with the provisions…"

"I believe the guys in the docks could provide us with all we need. But there's a problem…"

"What? You got only 10 Reichsmark in your wallet?"

"Actually I don't have anything…"

"Toshiro the money sack… Ugh…"

"Oh don't bitch about it now, you have more money now then some people see in their whole lives…"

"True…"

They arrived at the bases quartermaster. A man with a stern face was sitting behind the desk in the office. The name plaque said 'Kowalski'. When he saw the two coming, he stood up and saluted.

"At ease." Adolfine commanded.

"So, what are you looking for, General?" Kowalski asked.

"Provisions for four people, for a six day flight. I decided not to buy provisions each time we dock."

"I see…" He murmured while looking through supply lists. "Well, I think I can arrange something, but of course not for free…"

"Major Edelweiss is prepared to reimburse you accordingly."

"And that's what I wanted to hear! Follow me ma'am, sir, I should have something for you."

They ended up in a small storeroom, full of various goods.

"This is the special storeroom for surplus goods. Pick whatever you like, and Goldman over there will throw it into your craft." He said and then shouted. "Hey Goldman! You lazy bastard, come here!"

"Oy gevalt, I'm coming… What a chutzpah…"

A skinny, dark haired fellow approached them and saluted briefly.

"Goldman, you are to transport whatever goods these two pick up for themselves to their plane, understood?"

"Yeah, yeah…"

"What did I do in my previous live to earn such a subordinate…" Kowalski said with a heavy voice, shaking his head.

Toshiro and Adolfine started to browse through the goods, and they finally picked up a nice stack of provisions including two kilograms of beef jerky, three kilograms of crackers, four gallons of water, half a kilogram of real coffee, a dozen of canned peaches, eight tablets of chocolate and many more.

Toshiro had to pay a little mountain of cash for all those delicacies, but it was worth it. As Goldman was moving the provisions on a trolley, Toshiro asked Adolfine, "Hey, maybe I could send a telegram through the guys in the base?"

"I was just about to touch that topic. I see no problem, go and find their radio room."

Toshiro searched a bit, asked someone and finally found the radio room.

"What may I help you with, Major?" A young man asked him.

"Well, I wanted to send a telegram, if it's not a problem…"

"You have quite a peculiar expression on your face, Major… Is it about a girl?"

"Heh, yes… I left my girlfriend in Fuso…"

"Anything for a brother in need." The man said and gave him a piece of paper and pencil. "Write all the necessary info, and I'll make something out of it. I'm Steve by the way."

"Toshiro, pleased to meet you." He answered while taking the paper and pencil.

Toshiro quickly scribbled the following on the piece of paper:

TO: YOSHIKA MIYAFUJI, MIYAFUJI CLINIC, YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE, FUSO

MSG: EVERYTHING FINE. I'M IN HAWAII. I LOVE YOU!

He passed the piece of paper to Steve, which read it and said, "Well, concise and on topic, Major… You sure you don't want add more?"

"They say less is more sometimes. And I don't want you to pound that telegraph for the next hour, heh…"

"I wouldn't mind anyway, but if you say so… You can go now, Major, I'll handle this now."

"Thanks, Steve."

Toshiro went back to the docks, prepared to leave this little piece of heaven called Hawaii, but even from the distance, he could see the pilots jumping furiously on the plane's wings. When he came closer, he heard a wild shout.

"Verfluchte Scheiß Motoren! Scheißeeeeee! (Cursed shit engines! Shiiiiit!)"

Adolfine was looking at him silently, but then asked, "What's the matter, Udo?"

"Ah, Frau Generalmajor… Two of the engines got busted, and we don't know how to fix them…"

"Oh my…" She gasped. "That will endanger our timetable…"

Toshiro came right besides Adolfine and said, "I could help, but under one condition."

"Oh? What would that be?"

"That I can swim in the ocean afterwards."

"Reasonable request… Get to it then!"

Toshiro undressed his shirt, took off his new shiny medals and started repairing the engines with no more than a hammer. After an hour, he walked over the pilots' cabin and knocked on the canopy.

"What is it, Herr Major?" Udo asked.

"Check the engines."

"Jawohl."

Udo flipped a few switches, and all six engines started in perfect sync.

"Wunderbar, Herr Major! You are a true grease stained magician!"

"Heh, I prefer to be called a wizard, but whatever fits. You can kill the engines now. Percussive maintenance proved itself useful once again..."

The engines were shut off, and Toshiro jumped down to the amazed Adolfine.

"Well now, so it's true that you modified the Merlin engines?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, the constructors of that particular engine types supposedly almost busted their heads banging on the wall after seeing the upgrade plans, realizing how close they were to making it themselves… You truly are a genius…"

"Everything I do is for the greater cause. So, care to join me in the ocean?"

"I don't know…" She replied cautiously.

"Oh come on! I always see you buttoned up from top to bottom; show some skin, will you!"

"Lecher…" She grumbled with slightly pink cheeks. "Anyway, I don't have a bikini, so it's a no-go." She replied firmly.

"Ah yes, that could be a problem…. Oh well, I'll go fetch my swimming trousers and take a dip myself. Nothing like a swim after work well done!"

Toshiro ran into the plane, picked up his trousers, and changed into them inconspicuously behind some of the supply crates. After exiting the plane, he saw Galland lustrating him from top to bottom with a tense face. After her 'inspection', she whistled and said, "Now I'm jealous of that little Miyafuji, my my… Such a body hiding under that uniform…"

"Having second thoughts about taking a bath in the ocean?" Toshiro asked moving his eyebrows up and down repeatedly.

"Oh no no no! You won't get me to undress that easily! And you have a girlfriend already, you hopeless pervert!"

"Heh… Having a girlfriend doesn't exactly stop me from admiring the beauty of another woman's body, right?"

"Ugh… Hopeless… Okay, fine. We will be making a stop in Florida, so if you behave, maybe you'll get something to 'admire'."

"Fine by me, Adolfine. Now pardon me, but I have to make a dive into the Pacific."

Toshiro jumped on the top of the plane, and running across the wings, he jumped off into the water in a perfect straight dive.

The view underwater was breathtaking, with the sun streaking from above through the perfectly clear water. He could saw various specimens of the underwater fauna and flora, including a big turtle swimming lazily, a swarm of colorful fish, and even pair of majestic sea devils.

Toshiro emerged from underwater and started swimming lazily on his back and switched to breaststroke after a minute.

"Hey, Toshiro, I think it's time for you to get out of the water already! We have to leave soon!" Adolfine shouted after a quarter of an hour from the pier.

"Okay!" He shouted back. "Fifteen minutes… I feel like taking my first bath in Britannia…" He muttered to himself.

He swam up to the pier and with and he swiftly jumped up.

"Impressive…" Adolfine mumbled. "But you forgot that we don't have towels, genius…"

Toshiro enveloped himself in the Heat Aura and in ten seconds, he was pepper dry.

"Wha… What was that?"

"Oh, just a little something I can do… I never told you the origins of my powers, right?"

"Correct."

"I'll tell you after I pass that exam of yours."

"And what makes you so sure you will?"

"Did you forget? I'm a genius!" Toshiro boasted shamefully.

"Very funny… Now get in the plane, Mister Genius, we have a thirteen hour flight to Los Angeles!"

"Jawohl!"

* * *

**If you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	8. Chapter 8 – City of Angels

Chapter 8 – City of Angels

"I'm done, Adolfine." Toshiro said and slammed the book he was reading on the bench.

"Impressive, Toshiro… Since we still have a few hours, how about that exam?"

"My body is ready."

"I hope your mind follows…" She said sarcastically and pulled out a sealed envelope from the locker.

"Ordnung muss sein, huh?"

"Oh yes. You see, if I just made up questions on my own, someone could imply this exam was a sham and all. This way, even I don't know the questions, so no problem with that. Also, we will have the pilots serve as witnesses through the PA system."

"Sounds all right… Let's begin then."

Adolfine opened the envelope and switched the PA system to 'continuous transmission'. For each question there had to be a confirmation by the pilots that they heard in, as well as for the answers. The questions themselves were simple at first, but there was a mock situation presented to Toshiro at the end.

"Imagine that you are presented an eighteen year old witch in the rank of Sergeant that was caught red-handed while pinching food. The situation takes place in an outpost in Orussia, where the climate is cold, and the supplies are scarce. This is her first offence, what do you do?"

Toshiro pondered for a while and then he answered.

"First of all, I remove anyone besides me and the culprit out of the room. By doing that, I make an intimate and personal atmosphere, in which the culprit might confess his crime more easily. I wait until she starts talking by herself, waiting for her showing remorse. If she doesn't talk, I try to delicately persuade her into talking, and if she continues to be silent, I list every potential penalty that might be put onto her, sans firing squad. As for the possible outcomes: if she shows remorse, and outright confesses to do so, depending on her motivation, and taking into account that it's her first offence, I would punish her with a week to two of solitary. If she wouldn't show remorse, but still confess, then apart from a month in solitary, I would give her KP duty for two weeks after. If she would sit there like a dunce, waiting for gods know what, I would add two more weeks of KP to the previous punishment."

Adolfine looked at him, and asked, "Why wouldn't you threaten the culprit with the firing squad?"

"It's written in a wise book - don't judge or you'll be judged. Shooting someone for stealing a loaf of bread? Isn't that blowing things out of proportions? A good punishment is a mixture of both understanding and hard law. If you become too lenient, you may lose authority, and if you are too strict, you will lose trust."

Adolfine nodded her head at that answer.

"A truly magnificent answer… Okay… I hereby declare, that Major Toshiro Edelweiss has passed the exam with flying colors and has become a judicial officer with full consequences of that fact."

"Affirmative, Frau Generalmajor." One of the pilots said through the PA system.

"Congratulations, Herr Major!" The other one said.

"Heh… Thanks…"

Adolfine turned off the PA system and turned to Toshiro.

"I also congratulate you, Toshiro. You will make a great judicial officer. But I couldn't help to notice that your face changed slightly when I talked about the shooting squad…"

"Well, let's say that I have some prejudice against this form of punishment…"

"Please tell me more." She asked with a warm voice, full of curiosity.

"What gives us the right to handle the lives of other people? That's the first question you should ask yourself. The other thing is that Yoshika was a hair close to being court marshaled back in Britannia…"

Adolfine slid on the bench to him and embraced him.

"I see…"

"Hey, Adolfine, ain't you getting a bit too… informal with me?"

"We were informal from the second minute we met in Britannia. Don't you see me as a friend now?"

"Right… Sorry for being such a grump then. I bet you want to hear my story, huh?"

"With true attention."

"Well then, listen carefully, and I would like you not to talk about it to anyone, maybe besides uncle… So, it began…"

Toshiro started telling him his account of what happened to him since he first met the then unnamed snake. After he finished, Adolfine looked as if struck by lightning.

"Pfffuuuh… I really don't know what to say… I suppose I should believe in what you told me but… Your familiar can talk with other people?"

"Yeah. If you want to talk to her, be my guest, but a fair warning though: she will give you some weird nickname, and she can be a bitch sometimes."

_"Why thank you for the nice introduction, jerk…"_

"Well yes, I would like to talk to… Yuki was it?"

"Yes, Yuki, pleased to meet you, auntie." Yuki spoke through Toshiro.

Adolfine jumped up slightly.

"Oh! So it's true! Um, I'm also pleased to meet you."

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Actually… Nothing in particular… I was just curious about your voice…"

"Hmmm… So your curiosity has been satisfied I believe. Then I'll sign off for now… Oh, wait, don't try to seduce Toshiro, or I'll make you regret being in one plane with him, got it, auntie?"

"Okay…" Adolfine replied silently.

"Told you, she has a tough character… But she can be a real dear in tough times… She helped me so many times, that I lost count already… And it's convenient to have somebody in your head to talk to and not to be worried about your state of mind, heh…"

"You said you have a sword, but I don't see it anywhere. Forgot it?"

"No… It's just…" Toshiro raised his hand above his head and summoned the sword. "…that this sword is magical."

Adolfine jumped again.

"How did you do that?"

"My sword resides in a pocket dimension, and I can retrieve it at any time. It just takes a wee little bit of magic to make the connection."

"Can I… take a look?"

"I don't know… I never gave it to anyone, so I'm not sure if the sword isn't 'jealous' of me."

"You won't know if we won't try, right?"

"Suit yourself…"

Toshiro passed the sword to Adolfine, but at the same moment she touched it, it changed into the rusty, blood covered sword it was originally.

"What a rusty toothpick…" Adolfine said and passed the sword back to Toshiro. "At least now we know what happens if someone else tries to use it..."

When Toshiro grabbed the sword, it turned back into Aganaimaru again. He dispelled the sword and said, "You could still kill someone with that, but a Neuroi would probably laugh it's ass off if it had one and could laugh…"

"Indeed." She giggled slightly. "You should take a nap; we still have a few hours before we land in LA."

"I'd rather eat something first… All that knowledge that I had to intake…"

"Right, right…" She said and rummaged the pile of supplies that was beside them. "Here, take some beef jerky and canned peaches."

"And a can opener?"

"Whoops…"

"Heh, I have an idea…" Toshiro said and summoned his sword again. "Take the can, and just slide the top along the blade. But be careful, the edge is so sharp, that, citing the goddess, it can cut bonds between atoms."

"Okay, I will watch out." She said and took the can.

Adolfine carefully placed the edge of the can along the blade, and pushed the can against it. The aluminum container surrendered in an instant. The aroma of peaches wafted out of the can, squirming itself it the noses of Toshiro and Adolfine.

"My, my… It really is sharp… I only applied enough force to move the can forward…"

"I know, right? Once, while I was training, the sword slipped out of my sweaty palms and rammed straight through an enormous rock… Anyway, have a peach, if they taste at least half as good as they smell, I'll probably eat them alone. And dibs on the juice!"

Adolfine fished out a quarter of a peach and nibbled on it.

"Delicious!" She shouted in joy and stuffed the whole quarter in her mouth. "And sho shweeeet…"

"So you have a sweet tooth, Adolfine?" Toshiro asked with a wry smile.

Adolfine swallowed the peach and answered, "Yes… I hate myself for that…"

"Nothing to be ashamed, Erica is also gaga about sweets."

"Erica Hartmann? The very same that was awarded by the Kaiser back then?"

"Yeah, the very same. Not only does she love sweets, but she is also sweet as a person. We even treat each other as 'ersatz' siblings, heh…" Toshiro said with a distant yet warm voice. "Probably the only Karlslandian in the 501st that isn't such a martinet, heheheh…"

Adolfine puffed her cheeks and said, "Hey! A true soldier of Karlsland…"

"Yeah, yeah… I know the drill…" Toshiro interrupted. "Trude was using that phrase whenever Erica starts going her way…"

"Trude?"

"Gertrud Barkhorn. She is tough on the outside, but when you get on your soft side, she is a really caring person. And an incurable siscon…"

"Ah yes, I heard about Gertrud and her sister… Tragic story, but it came out rather well… Say, what is your impression on Minna, your former commander?"

"Minna? To be honest, our work relationship started like hell. Until certain events, which thank gods, happened soon, she treated me like dirt."

"Why's that?"

"She was misandric from top to bottom, because she lost her boyfriend during Operation Dynamo, and acted it out on the rest of the male race. However, after she tried to shoot me, and after me putting on a dramatic show, she calmed down and acknowledged me. We even drank a Brüderschaft the next morning. Minna is a very loving person, but she can be strict when the situation needs it."

"She tried to shoot you?!"

"I doubt she meant it, but the gun was loaded, that's for sure. But please, keep that a secret."

"Okay… Finish your food and take a nap, I have to finish some paperwork."

"Sure."

Toshiro ate the peaches and beef jerky, and drank the peach juice from the can.

_A peculiar combination, but rather tasty…_

He lied down on the floor and drifted away.

Toshiro felt as he was poked in the side.

"Hey, sleepy head, we are landing."

"Uhhhmmmm…" Toshiro mumbled. "Okay…"

After a few minutes, the planes stopped, and Adolfine opened the door. Both of them stepped out on the peer.

"This is the Port of Los Angeles, Toshiro, a rather quickly developing establishment. Well, time for us to split. I'll go do some shopping of my own, you do whatever you like. We will meet at this place in three hours."

"Not much time to sightsee… And I believe you are broke, dear Adolfine…."

Within a split second, Adolfine's face changed to a begging look of a small puppy.

"You know that the roles should be reversed, right? Ugh…" Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and picked out five pounds. "Here, knock yourself out."

"Thanks… I'll repay you someday…" She said flustered.

"Whatever… So, off I go…"

Toshiro wandered around LA aimlessly, when a sudden idea crossed his mind. After a few minutes of wandering, he found a bar called 'The Sham Crock'.

Upon entering, he saw a copy of the 'The Lazy Mutt', with the same atmosphere and clientele. The only difference was the absence of a behemoth like Wayne, and the bartender was different. He was a tall man, slightly overweight. He had an enormous beard and long hair, all red.

"What can I 'elp you with?" He asked with an accent like Angus from London.

"Gimme a pint of your best lager Mr…"

"Red. Most people call me Red. Pay up first.

Toshiro slammed a shilling on the counter and said, "Keep the change, good man."

"Ho ho! A spender! Why don't you spend a beer to that guy over there, he looks like the will to live has left 'im."

Toshiro looked at a lonely man sitting at a table. His bowler hat was lying on the table, and the man himself was hiding his face in his hands, that were also supporting his head.

"So be it." Toshiro said.

The red bartender filled two big mugs with golden beer, and gave them to him. Toshiro took both, and sat at the table with the poor looking guy.

"Here, I have a beer for you."

"I don't think a beer will help with my problem…" The man muttered, with his face still hidden.

"What could possibly happen for a person to have such a depression?"

"Oh well… I might as well tell it to you… You see, a few months ago I started filming a movie. It was a parody called 'The Kaiser'. It featured the Emperor of Karlsland as an oaf, with his nephew, another dunce, on a cruise ship. I casted Laurel and Hardy for the main roles, it was a sure hit. But then, something unexpected happened. On the day of the premiere, news came in. It appears, that the Emperor, what a fucking coincidence, really had a nephew, hidden from the world, and that the said nephew was buried just yesterday! Jesus fucking Christ, what bad luck! After the movie was screened in a few theaters, word got out, and my movie was boycotted, and most of Karlsland wants me dead… Now I'm sitting here, taking refuge in this bar…"

"Hmmm… You know what? Look at me."

"And what will that accomplish?"

"Don't know. But look at me, now."

The man raised his face, a face of a middle-aged man with a toothbrush moustache. Toshiro immediately recognized him, he saw him as an actor in a few movies that were screened in the base in Yokosuka on few occasions.

"Mr. Chaplin? You made such a movie?" Toshiro asked surprised.

"Yes, and I'm ashame… Wait… Wait a minute… No… No… No fucking way… I saw the picture in the obituary… You are dead… Jesusmaryjoseph…" Chaplin panicked

"Calm down, Mr. Chaplin. I'm not dead, and I'm not here to seek vengeance. I didn't see your movie, but I intend to. Laurel and Hardy are one of my favorite pairs of actors. Making a parody is always fun, as long as it's in good taste. And you couldn't have known about me, because I that family connection of mine was uber-secret. As for the backlash after the movie… I can only advise you to release a statement to a newspaper. I'll try to reach uncle and clear this situation, but it will have a price…"

"Anything! I'll pay anything!" He begged.

"Give me and my girlfriend and autograph, heh…"

"An autograph? Only a damn autograph?"

"Yup. Two separate autographs and I promise I'll look into the matter."

"Savior!" He shouted and pulled out a pen and small notebook. "You are Toshiro, and your girlfriend?"

"Yoshika. Y-O-S-H-I-K-A."

Chaplin scribbled two autographs quickly and gave them to him.

"Okay, looks good enough." Toshiro said and put them in the wallet. "Now, let's drink!"

The two raised their mugs and clanked them together. Both of them guzzled down the beer in one go, leaving a foamy moustache on their upper lips.

"Well, I should go now, Mr. Chaplin. Have a nice day."

"You too, Mr. Emperor's nephew."

Toshiro returned the mugs to the bartender and exited the taproom.

_"Yuki, how are we with the time?"_

_"You should return already."_

_"Damnit… No sightseeing for me…"_

During the way back, he turned his eyes in to the hills, and saw a big sign.

HOLLYWOODLAND

_Now that's something to remember… Remember… Fuck! We wanted to take a photograph!_

Toshiro ran around on the street, asking people where a photo parlor could be. In a few minutes, he found one, and was lucky enough for it to be open at this hour. He was even luckier, because there was an inventor testing an experimental instant camera for ID photos in that establishment. After a minute, he had a nice black and white photo of himself.

Toshiro returned to the pier at which the plane was floating, and saw that Adolfine was already there. Upon getting closer, he saw that she had a paper bag with a 'Chanel' logo on it.

"So, Adolfine how's your shopping?"

"Good, good… And your trip?"

"I had a beer with Charlie Chaplin."

"That shitty director? Argh, let me at him!"

"Was that movie that bad?"

"Honestly? It was nice and funny, but it was released at such a time that it overshadowed every quality it had for us Karlslandians…"

"Well, I promised I'll intervene on his behalf at uncle. He made many good movies, and starred in many more. He deserves a pardon, Adolfine."

"You and your sense of morality… Okay, fine, whatever. When we'll be in Florida, I'll try to persuade somebody in a military base to let you talk to the Kaiser."

"Thanks. What did you buy, by the way?"

"It's a secret…" She said while blushing slightly. "Get in; we have a twelve hour flight before us."

"Sure thing, Adolfine."

Thus, the two of them entered the plane, and flew off in the direction of Florida, lit by the orange sun hiding behind the horizon.

* * *

**If you didn't watch any movies with Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy, shame on you!**

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	9. Chapter 9 – Promiscuity

Chapter 9 – Promiscuity

"Hey, Toshiro…"

"What?"

"Could you tell me more about your teammates from the 501st?"

"Why should I?" Toshiro said with a mocking tone.

"Oh come on… Tell me about them, I want to know something about the people you were working with…"

"Well okay… Let's start with Lynnette Bishop, called Lynne by everyone. She is a quiet, well-raised and polite girl. She is also the best friend of Yoshika, which she gave proof of just before you arrived in Fuso. She is an extraordinary sharpshooter, but her skills in combat are a bit lackluster… And… heh… if I may note, she has the second biggest rack in the whole squad…"

"Lecherous pervert…" Adolfine grumbled. "Go on…"

"The next would be Pierrette-Henriette Clostermann or Perrine for short. Physically the opposite of Lynne, if you know what I mean, but let's not talk about that… She has a hard personality, always huffing and puffing, especially at Yoshika, but that's probably how she dealt with the stress after her homeland got taken… When she visited a few days ago with Lynne, she was slightly more cheerful than usual, and still a sucker for Mio…"

"Wait, so the two visited Miyafuji and you?"

"Yeah. You saw that ship exiting the harbor when you were landing? They were leaving on it."

"Hmmm… And about Mio…"

"Well, it seems that Perrine took Mio as some kind of role model, or even deity, I don't know how deeply that goes…"

"Interesting… Go on."

"Next up, Eila Ilmater Juutilainen. A good and caring girl, but her affection mostly extends only to another one of my teammates, Sanya V. Litvyak."

"Affection you say?"

"First let me talk about Sanya. Like Lynne, she is shy, maybe even more so. She is also musically talented, and is the only one to do night patrol on daily basis. Oh, and she has her birthday on the same day as Yoshika."

"And that 'affection' you mentioned?"

"Well… The two are really close to each other… Something between sisters and…"

"You don't say?"

"Yeah… I hope they won't get in trouble for that?"

"Nah… As long as it's kept under the carpet, they can do whatever they please. Not that they can get pregnant from that, right?"

"A valid point. So continuing, there is Francesca Lucchini. She mostly sleeps all the time, in places one could not think of as beds. She is a cheerful girl, but with a fatal flaw…"

"And that would be?"

"Yuki gave her the nickname 'little boob devil' for a reason… She is so attracted to breasts that she gropes them on various occasions, with or without prior consent."

Upon hearing that, Adolfine grabbed her breasts firmly, as if guarding them from harm's way.

"What a little monster…"

"True, but it's hilarious at times… But anyway, her most beloved 'pair of melons'," Toshiro made air quotes as he spoke, "and figuratively speaking that would be the best word, are those of Charlotte E. Yeager, or Shirley as she wants to be called. Straightforward, sometimes even reckless, but she fits in the 'best buddy' stereotype. She is also a fine mechanic, a plane pilot and a speed addict. And…" Toshiro blushed like if he dipped his face in red paint.

"And? What did you want to say?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. Always finish a sentence."

"Ugh… Yoshika knows, Minna knows, you can also know… So, not boasting about it or something, we lost virginity to each other…"

Adolfine's mouth opened wide, as if the gravity pull changed suddenly.

"You… Her… Together…"

"Yeaaaah… You see, that day, she broke the speed of sound, and we had a party on that occasion… The amount of alcohol that was brought out to the table was a tad too big it seems… So after I went to my room, Shirley followed me and…"

"Okay, spare me the details… You didn't knock her up hopefully?"

"No, no… I 'abandoned ship' in time…"

"And Miyafuji forgave you that little… sidestep?"

"Yeah… We weren't so close to each other like now, so she assumed that what happened didn't affected our relationship."

"And didn't Yuki stop you?"

"Well, two things stopped her from stopping me. Back then, she didn't communicate with me, she just passively gave me power. And secondly, it appears that she can't control me if I'm hammered."

"Sound all right…"

"Say… Why don't we get drunk right now?"

"W-w-what!? No way! Idiot! Pervert! Mega pervert!"

"Hahahahahah! I got you there…"

Adolfine neared him and bonked him on the head with her fist.

"Moron… But… Say… Do I look attractive? Would you… do me?" Adolfine asked with her face reaching sun-surface temperature levels.

Toshiro looked at her with curiosity and said, "Uhhhh… Well… If I was a free man, you'd just need to say one word, and we would be fornicating like a pair of weasels. Remember how I told you back then, at my father's grave, that you are beautiful? I can repeat that anytime you wish, because it's a fact, but nothing can happen between us, sorry… My relationship with Yoshika is more important than satisfying my newly found desires… But that doesn't mean we can't be good friends, right?"

She stopped blushing and said, "Right… Hey, why don't we drink anyway, just for taste?"

"Okay, we can if you want it so. But I don't see glasses here, and I don't believe you have booze?"

"Au-contraire, Toshiro." She pulled out a hipflask out of the locker. "Schnapps."

"Glasses?"

She dived into the paper bag, and pulled out two tightly wrapped objects. Adolfine unwrapped them both, and revealed two beautiful crystal glasses.

"So you had it planned all along, huh?"

"Sort of… I purchased the glasses on a whim while browsing through… stuff… I remembered that I have a hip-flask full of a new brand of schnapps, and I wanted to share it with you…"

"How kind of you… Okay, let's do it."

She poured some schnapps into the glasses, and handed over one to him. Toshiro guzzled it down in one go and said, "Hmmmm… Apfelschnapps? Good… Has a nice aftertaste…"

"Doesn't it? I'll order some more for my private reserve then. So… Take a nap; we should be in Florida by dawn."

"You won't do anything lewd to me while I'm sleeping, right?"

"Ugh… Go to sleep…"

"Okay, okay… Oh, wait a second..." Toshiro pulled out his wallet and gave Adolfine a photo and his military ID. "Do your magic."

She looked surprised at him, and at an instant, her palm landed on her forehead.

"Ah… You remembered, didn't you?"

"Barely. I was on the way back already."

"How did you get a photo so fast anyway?" She asked curiously.

"Some inventor tested an instant camera in his photo parlor. You should tell Adolf about it…"

"Hah… Okay, you can go to sleep now; I'll prepare your ID."

"Night, Adolfine."

"Gute Nacht, Toshiro…"

"Wakey wakey, Toshiro." The voice of Adolfine woke him up. "Tell me how do I look?"

"Wha…" Toshiro slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. "How should you look diff.."

He stopped mid-sentence when his eyes focused. She was wearing a simple yet sexy black bikini. It contrasted with her pale skin, and brought out something else to light. Adolfine was muscular, not ripped, and not buff, but rather toned. The curves of her muscles were slightly visible from under her skin, giving her an athletic look, and somehow making her well-sized breasts even more attractive.

"Adolfine…"

"Y-yes!?"

"Do you work out?"

"Well, yes… You noticed? I have my own private gym…"

"You look something like some amazon goddess… Is that why you don't show any skin? Afraid of rude comments?"

"Y-yeah… I'm not confident about my body… But I intend to change it, right here and now! We will go to the Naval Air Station Pensacola in beach attire!"

"Hohoho! That's the spirit!" Toshiro got up and pulled his swimming trunks out. "And now, I'll let you witness something."

"Y-you don't plan to change right in front of me, do you?!"

"Oh yes I do!"

In a split second, Toshiro changed from his uniform to only his trunks.

"Whoa! What was that?!"

"Remember our first encounter, when I jumped at you?"

"Yeah?"

"It's actually a time warping technique."

"Oh… So that's how you changed your clothes faster than I could blink?"

"Yup. Imagine the possibilities…" Toshiro said with a lecherous smile.

"You wouldn't…." Adolfine said with a cold voice and half-closed eyes, pointing a finger at him.

"Of course not… Yuki wouldn't let me, heh…"

"A familiar acting as a chaperon… Praise the Lord!"

They both laughed hard for a minute.

As they landed, Toshiro halted Adolfine before exiting.

"What is it, Toshiro?"

"Do you have my ID ready?"

"Yes, it's on the bench."

"Then give me yours too."

"Why for?"

"I'm taking our ID's and some backup measures in a waterproof bag with us. You don't think a woman in bikini telling that she's a General would be convincing, even giving the fact that you are a witch, right?"

"Heh… Well, you have a point there."

She gave him both his and her ID's. Toshiro pulled out the bag out of the chest, and stuffed the ID's inside with his wallet and the Mauser.

"Why the pistol, Toshiro? You have a magic blade…"

"But you don't, Adolfine. And the world is still full of scum, despite having a common enemy…"

"How thoughtful… Even considering becoming my assistant?"

"No. But if I could take Yoshika with me, I'd be glad, heheh…"

"I'll take your word for that, Toshiro."

As they were going out, Toshiro said, "Wait a second, Adolfine."

"What is it?"

"Take your shirt, just in case your confidence sinks. I'll also take mine, just as a precaution; don't know how the soldiers here could react."

"Always a step ahead… Maybe I should have let the Kaiser promote you to Generalmajor…"

She took the grey shirt she always wore under her leather flight jacket, and pulled it on, without buttoning it up. Toshiro also took his uniforms shirt and put it on.

They stepped on the pier of the air station and took a hike to the airfield, which was just a few hundred meter to the north-west. Upon approaching the gate, a guard came out of his booth.

"Halt, state your business."

"Brigadier General Galland and Major Edelweiss from the Karlslandian Wehrmacht. We wanted to use your radio equipment while our plane is being refitted."

_Refitted? For what?_

The guard looked skeptically at them, especially at Adolfine and said, "Any ID? I'm sorry, but you two don't look very convincing…"

"Told you…" Toshiro muttered to Adolfine and pulled out their ID's. "Here, please." He said and passed it to the guard.

He glanced through them, comparing the photos to their real life counterparts standing before him.

"Welcome to Pensacola." He said and saluted. "The base commander has his office in the second building to the left."

Toshiro took back their ID's and the guard opened the gate.

The two went on into the base. Both men and women were looking at the weird pair walking around in beach clothes.

"Adolfine, how are you doing?" Toshiro whispered.

"A bit uncomfortable… But the jealous looks that I get from the witches balance out those lecherous gazes by some of the men, heehee…"

They entered the building, which the guard pointed out. Following directions they landed in the base commanders office. The office itself was behind another door, this was the room of the commander's secretary.

A young female 2nd Lieutenant was sitting behind the desk, and watching them closely.

"Yes? What can I help you with?" She asked surprised.

"We are here to see the commander." Adolfine explained.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Well, no…"

"Then I'm sorry, you can't see the commander."

"But…"

"No buts, ma'am."

Toshiro and Adolfine walked back a few meters and huddled up.

"What do we do now?" Adolfine asked.

"We have two options: I can either sweet-talk her, or we can just bust into the office."

"Sweet-talk her? You think you can do it?"

"Her eyes were always darting to me when you were talking to her."

"Okay, try it."

Toshiro turned around and approached the secretary.

"Pardon me, but may I know why we can't visit the commander? I would be really happy if I could visit him…" Toshiro said playing the sweet idiot, watching as his words hypnotized the secretary.

"Ugh... Umm… Well… Because… Uh…"

Toshiro started slowly flapping his shirt, unveiling his perfectly shaped muscles.

"Sure is hot here… Maybe you should fetch yourself a cold Cola, hmm?"

The secretary looked as if she was about to get a heat stroke just by watching at him.

"Y-y-yes, I'll do just that!"

She ran out of the room like a thunderbolt.

Toshiro looked back at Adolfine, which was stumped by what she just saw.

"My god, Toshiro… You would be a threat to womankind if you weren't in a relationship…"

"Heheh… Okay, let's go inside."

Adolfine knocked on the door.

"Come in." A manly voice responded her.

Adolfine went in first, followed by Toshiro.

"Oh, you are not Peggy? Who are you two?"

"Brigadier General Adolfine Galland and Major Toshiro Edelweiss from the Karlslandian Wehrmacht. We have a little request…"

"Major General James Harold Doolittle, but people call me Jimmy. And what could the request be? I'll fulfil any wish of such a beautiful woman."

Adolfine blushed a little and said, "We wanted to use your radio equipment, if it's possible in privacy, General…"

"A reasonable request from a reasonable woman." Doolittle answered and started writing something on a piece of paper. "Here, a permission."

Toshiro took the piece of paper.

"Thank you, General." He said.

"Since we have that behind us…" Doolittle said and reached under the desk.

A clang of glass could be heard, and soon three frosty bottles of Cola were standing on the desk.

"Why don't we take a drink? It's so damn hot here…"

"With pleasure, General." Adolfine said with a smile on her face.

The sound of three bottles being opened sequentially was heard. While drinking his Cola, Toshiro looked at Adolfine. A large drop escaped her mouth, started wandering down her chin, then her neck, and finally lost all its shape between her breasts.

"Uuuuuh… That hit the spot… So, how did you two get past my private Cerberus?"

"You mean the secretary, General?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes, her. She would let nobody pass if he did not have an appointment, and yet you succeeded.

"Heh… General, look at me, and take a wild guess." Toshiro said and retracted his shirt a bit to the sides.

Doolittle looked at him, nodded a few times and said, "I see… Hah, I'll be damned… It seems that her hormones are still stirring, hah! Nice one, Major."

"Thank you, sir. Can we go now?"

"Sure, be my guests. Exit this building and enter the one just on the left."

"Thank you again, sir." Adolfine said and they exited.

The secretary returned already, and an empty Cola bottle was visible on the desk. The two passed her silently, and went to the radio room in the next building.

After presenting the paper to the CO, the room was cleared, and only Adolfine and Toshiro were left. It took him a minute, but he finally reached Neue Karlsland.

"Hello, state your business." A familiar voice was heard by them.

"So we meet again…"

"Herr Major, it's you?"

"Yes, me. The Generalmajor is sitting right beside me, so don't try cheap tricks, and get me my uncle, pronto."

"Y-yes sir, please wait a minute…"

After a few minutes of silence, a jovial voice was heard.

"Hohoho, Toshiro, is that you?"

"Yes uncle, how are thing going on?"

"Good, good. The support of my people for me is at a historical high, the war is progressing, the economy blooming… Toshiro, what happened to you during those four months? You really gave everyone a scare, me included…"

"Yes, uncle, I heard about it… I'm sorry… Say, uncle, do you believe in gods?"

"I believe in the one God, is that important?"

"Well, you see, there's this deity from Fuso, Amaterasu… In addition, apparently, I'm her champion and all sorts of stuff… The reason why I was absent is that I was training under her watchful eye in another dimension…"

One could only hear the static buzz on the line.

"Uncle? You there?"

"Yes, yes… Just what you said was… A tad unbelievable, you don't think so?"

"Believe me, uncle, I saw and experienced things that no mortal has dreamed of… I would want to keep all this secret, okay?"

"Sure, sure… Anyway, what's your business? You didn't reach out to me just for shits and giggles, right?"

"Heh… Right… You see, there's this guy named Chaplin…"

"That movie producer and actor? Yes… I was about to take action in his matter…"

"What action?"

"I was about to pardon him officially, and all that crap…"

"Whew… I was about to ask you to do that…"

"Did you meet him?"

"Yeah, in a bar in LA. He looked like a wreck of a man, and he was truly sorry…"

"Hmmm… So that's why you are calling me?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Hohohoho! Unbelievable! My nephew is calling me to pardon a guy he just met for the first time! You really are someone, Toshiro. Don't worry, I'll release a statement tomorrow. Is Galland with you?"

"Jawohl, Mein Kaiser!" She shouted.

"As you could hear, yes she is… Might I add that she's wearing a bikini…?"

"A bikini?! You sly devil! You made her wear a bikini!? She never wore one in my vicinity!"

"She actually did it on her own… You want to talk to her?"

"Yes, let her to the microphone."

They switched places.

"So, Galland, how's the progress on your mission?"

"We are currently in Florida, awaiting for our plane to be refitted, Mein Kaiser."

"Good… Did Toshiro pass the exam? How is the paperwork going along?"

"Everything is in ordnung, Mein Kaiser. Toshiro aced the exam."

"Very good… Well, aufwiedersehen, both of you."

Adolfine stood up and yelled, "Jawohl!"

"Hehe, bye uncle."

Toshiro terminated the connection.

"Did you have to say that I was wearing a bikini? Sheesh…" Adolfine pouted.

"I couldn't help myself, sorry…"

"Let's go to the beach, I want to work on my tan…"

"Do we have time for that?"

"Yes. The plane is being refitted with extended fuel tanks and improved engine ventilation for the jump across the Atlantic, so we have a bit of time."

"Oh, okay. I think I saw a beach past the runway…"

"Then let's go."

As they approached the side end of the runway, they saw the beach, behind a five-meter high fence.

"Awwww… We won't get past…" Adolfine said disappointed.

"Pfffft, I jumped higher than that…"

"Wha… Whoa!" Adolfine screamed as she was grabbed by Toshiro in a bridal manner. "What are you doing?!"

Toshiro started running.

"I'm going to jump over, what else?"

"But… How…"

"You'll see."

A few meters before the fence, Toshiro focused his magic on his legs, and jumped over the fence with ease, landing softly on the beaches sand.

"Wow… That was something… But you can unhand me now…"

Toshiro let go of her.

They used their shirts as blankets, and lied on them in the sun.

"Hey, Adolfine, we should go. Tanning with your pale skin should be limited to an hour at first."

"Oh, okay…"

Adolfine got a little reddish from the sun, but was all right.

As they returned to the docks, Toshiro was that the plane now had big external fuel tanks on the sides, and additional air intakes.

"So those are the mods that were made… Are those necessary?"

"Yes. We have to fly about seven thousand kilometers, which exceeded its, but thanks to those modifications, we could fly for over eight thousand kilometers uninterrupted.

"Not bad… So, how long are we going to fly?"

"Twenty four hours, Toshiro. Don't worry, I have reading material for you." Adolfine said with a smile.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	10. Chapter 10 – Intel

Chapter 10 – Intel

After the plane started, Adolfine asked Toshiro:

"C-Could you turn around while I'm changing clothes?"

Toshiro put on a wry smile and asked, "Is that an order?"

"Yes. Consider it an order from your superior officer."

"Oh okay…" Toshiro turned around disappointed.

_"Lecherous perverted pig…"_

_"Oh come on, Yuki… Yoshika has barely anything protruding from her chest… Let me at least feast my eyes on some ersatz boobs…"_

_"Ersatz boobs… You would think everything up for your benefit, would you?"_

_"As long as it's not bad by definition."_

_"Okay, okay, I'll give you a dispensation… As long as you don't touch, you can look. But contain yourself, for the love of Amaterasu…"_

_"I always knew you were a good sport, Yuki."_

_"Calling a snake a 'sport'… Ehhh…"_

"O-o-okay, you can look back now." Adolfine said stuttering a bit.

Toshiro turned around, but instead of seeing the usual 'buttoned up to the neck' Adolfine, he saw her in her trousers, but with nothing on her upper body. The nipples of her perfectly rounded breasts were erected, and Adolfine was looking at him with a peculiar look.

"So, do you like them?"

"You are doing this on purpose, right?"

"Heehee… Yes, I want to rile you up a bit, since I know that you cannot do anything to me… A little payback for our first encounter, and also a way for me to gain some confidence."

"If it works for you… But please, put those melons in a basket, or I'll get a nosebleed…"

Adolfine smiled and put on a bra, and the rest of her usual outfit. Toshiro however had a devious plan in mind already.

"Hey, Adolfine." Toshiro said to gain attention.

"Yes?' She said while turning her head to him.

Toshiro pulled of his trousers with one swift movement, revealing his manly parts. Adolfine made enormous eyes and yelled:

"Pervert! Uber pervert! Exhibitionist galactic class…" She calmed down in an instant and continued. "Oh I'm kidding… Nice piece of meat you have dangling there." She said in a frivolous tone. "Put your eggs in a sack, or you'll catch a cold, heehee. And to be just, I'll return the complement: you look like a demi-god, or maybe a whole god… Like Adonis or somebody similar…"

"Hey, I'm a champion of a goddess; I have to stand up to it, right?"

"Of course. Now get yourself clothed, I'm starting to feel… Weird…"

Toshiro put on all of his attire and his medals, and sat on a bench beside Adolfine.

"You said you've got some reading material for me?"

"Ah, yes, of course." She said and pulled out a few folders out of her trusty locker. "Dossiers of the 31st, a bit incomplete, but you should get to know them a bit better; you'll be their supervisor and get to command them. A good commander should know his people, right?"

"Right." Toshiro took the dossiers from Adolfine. "Let's see… Keiko Katou.

Toshiro looked at the photo, and a gentle yet determined face of a girl from Fuso looked back at him.

Age: 25

Date of Birth: October 31

Height: 164 cm

Rank: Major

"Commander of the 31st JFS… Hmmmm… So this is the current CO of the 31st, and the one who I'll undermine if I'll have the urge?"

"Heh, yes… She was a participant in the Fuso Sea Incident, and had a 23 shot down count. We know each other by the way."

"She still fights at that age? Mio's shield is basically as effective as a wet paper towel now, and she's only twenty…"

"Well, the Fuso witches are always reckless when it comes to combat it seems, heh… She mostly does reconnaissance duty, and commands the rest in fight from a distance."

"Good enough… Okay, next patient… Hanna-Justina Wallia Rosalind Sieglinde Marseille… What a fucking mouthful… And she's got a look like 'kneel plebe, your queen has come'…"

Age: 17

Date of Birth: December 13

Height: 172 cm

Rank: Captain

"So, what's her deal?"

"She is called the 'Star of Africa', and that is an ambiguous nickname, because besides her exceptional combat skills, the press made her a real star, a hero for the entertainment of people. Exactly what you didn't want to happen to you, Toshiro."

"And I'm glad of that… Neeeext! What do we have here…? Mami Inagaki … Another fit-face…"

Age: 16

Date of Birth: February 14

Height: 137.5 cm

Rank: Warrant Officer

"Seriously, she's only that tall?"

"Don't underestimate her, Toshiro. Thanks to her magic she can carry an 8.8 cm Flak 18 cannon into battle as easily as you carry your cannon…"

Toshiro nodded impressed.

"Can't argue with that… Okay, next one is… Raisa Pöttgen. She reminds me of Erica somehow…"

Age: 16

Date of Birth: September 16

Height: 158 cm

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

"She doesn't look like much…"

"She is the average girl, kind and caring. Especially caring for Marseille, if you catch my drift…"

"Huh? Is it 'that' relationship again or just worshiping?"

"You will always think of perverted things… No, she is just her… groupie, nothing more."

Toshiro opened the next folder, and only saw a brief note with two photos.

"Furuko Kitano and… Matilda… What, Intelligence had a free day?"

"Well yeah, one's only a Sergeant, and the second one is a servant to Marseille…"

"Servant?" Toshiro looked at the photo of the ebony beauty. "You know that sounds… strange in context?"

"Oh, no, don't get me wrong. She supposedly came to Marseille of her own free will, something about gods and stuff…"

"Weird… But hey, thanks for the intel on the girls, at least I know how they look. And… We still have about 23 hours of flight left, and nothing to do…"

"I only have this with me, sorry…" Adolfine said while giving him a book.

"V.I. Lenin, Complete works… Adolfine…" Toshiro sighed disappointed.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Toshiro."

Toshiro looked inside and saw another title.

"Faust, Wolfgang Goethe. Well, what a nice surprise, I always wanted to read it."

"Really? Not mocking me here?"

"Really, Adolfine. Thank you."

Prolog im Himmel.

Der Herr. Die himmlischen Heerscharen. Nachher Mephistopheles.

Die drei Erzengel treten vor…

Toshiro sunk into the lecture, forgetting about his surroundings.

"And done." Toshiro said, closing the book silently.

"Done already?" Adolfine asked surprised. "How was it?"

"Truly a nice book. Makes you think about various issues… Got any more?"

"No, sorry…"

"No need to apologize. Truth be told, I'm a bit drowsy… Good night, Adolfine."

"Good night, Toshiro."

He was standing in the middle of the green fields of Amaterasu's realm, with the goddess approaching him slowly from the side, eternally beautiful as always.

"Hello, Toshiro, what brings you to me?"

"I wanted to ask you of the name of that technique I couldn't learn back then…"

"You know I didn't tell you of it on purpose, right? That's one of the key factors in mastering it, you must gain insight of it on your own. Besides, remember what happened last time? You couldn't lift the amount of energy being stored in Aganaimaru…"

"Yes… I remember…"

"Don't worry though, Toshiro. When the time comes, even that technique will be available to you…"

"Sure… Ummm… I wanted to ask something else…"

"Do it."

"Really?"

"Yes, I permit it."

Toshiro slowly approached the goddess and gently hugged her, like a child hugging his mother.

"My spirit is always so calm around you, Amaterasu…"

"The small speck of me in you is resonating with me, giving of positive energy, so you feel something akin to nirvana, only without enlightenment… You really miss your mother, do you?"

"Yes…" Toshiro said with a sad voice.

"Don't worry, I placed your mothers' soul in Takama-ga-hara, as a reward for her sacrifice…"

"Thank you…"

"Toshiro… Wake uuuup…" Adolfine's calm voice woke Toshiro up.

"Hmmm… Wahhh… How long did I sleep?"

"You slept for the whole remaining time; we are a few minutes away from the port in Gibraltar. And you had such a peaceful face when you were sleeping…"

"Did I…? Hmmm… Anyway, thanks for waking me up."

"No problem. As I got news, it's sunny and rather warm, so you don't have to change clothes, we are in the Mediterranean after all."

"Good to hear, no more stripping for you, heh…"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that… But let's leave that notion for now, prepare for landing."

When they got out, a crew immediately formed around their plane, and some entered it.

"Well, they certainly are diligent in their work… But tell me, how is this plane going to be loaded?"

"Watch and learn, Toshiro."

He saw that a crane arm was lowered over the plane with four chains hanging from it. One of the crewmen attached the hooks to the roof of the plane, and after a few seconds, the whole plane's roof was lifted.

"No way…" Toshiro said amazed.

"Way, Toshiro. This is a modified version of the BV222, refitted for unloading from the top. If you are concerned, there are struts inside, which you must have saw, that keep the rigidity of the whole construction. It's a bit trickier to operate, but it gives a better loading area than a top-opened hatch."

The two of the looked as the crane loaded palettes of goods covered with gray canvas. When they finished, the roof was installed back on it's placed, and one of the people, a well-tanned man with a moustache, gave them a shipping manifest.

"Want to take a look? You should, because you will be responsible for the cargo once I'll leave you."

"Sure, why not…"

Toshiro skimmed through the list, finding various foodstuffs, some liquor and tobacco. But the last two entries made him wonder.

"Adolfine… Why would they need a ton of fodder and twenty salt licks?"

"Really? Such things are present in the transport?" Adolfine asked surprised.

"Yeah, see for yourself."

She looked at the entries in question and gave of a dumbfounded look.

"I really don't know… But knowing you, you'll probably get to the bottom of this mystery, right?"

"Definitely. So, how much time till we land in Tobruk?"

"About nine hours. After clearing things with command in the city, we should be in the base of the 31st by dusk."

"Sounds like a reasonable timespan… And we actually made it faster than in a week?"

"Yes, we did. It was planned for a week, but we slept in the plane while it was flying, so we gained a lot of time."

"You wouldn't probably make us sleep in a lodging nonetheless, huh? A true soldier of Karlsland and the works?"

"Heehee, well… If you said it in the beginning, I would probably make us sleep in the ports we visited, but since you seemed to like it rough…"

"True, Adolfine… But now that I know that I could have slept in a normal bed, and not on a riveted piece of duralumin…"

"Truth be told I would have also enjoyed a bed… But what's the past is the past; let's just wait inside while the fuel is being tanked."

"Yeah, lets…"

They both went inside and waited for takeoff. After a few minutes, the plane started moving and they took off in the direction of Tobruk.

Nine hours later…

"So, Toshiro, this is it, Tobruk is only a few minutes away… Let's get dressed; our current attire won't work for shit in that climate."

Toshiro pulled out the Afrika Corps uniform from his chest. His new insignia were put on it, and, unexpectedly, the Fuso moon-on-sun was replaced with the palm insignia.

_Seems Adolfine did a good work with her sewing…_

Toshiro looked around and saw Adolfine in her underwear.

"Hey, don't look! It's a surprise!"

"Okay, okay…"

Toshiro dropped of his black uniform and changed to the desert one.

"Okay, you can look!" Adolfine shouted with a girlish voice.

When Toshiro looked around, he expected something along the line of his uniform, but he saw something slightly different. The trousers were the same, maybe a bit shorter, but the top was cut up just under her breasts, revealing her washboard stomach.

"Ho ho, Adolfine… What a daring piece of wardrobe… You wouldn't put it on just like that, right? You used me to gain confidence, so you could wear that skimpy uniform?"

"Heh, yes…" She said with a slight blush. "I don't endure heat well, so I had to modify my uniform a bit…"

"And a good modification it is."

"Say, Toshiro… From what I've heard, you were introduced to the 501st wearing a hood and mask, correct?"

"Yes, why are you asking?"

"Because I want to repeat something like that, but with the local clothing flavor."

"Ugh… Fine, whatever… Gimme the clothes already…"

Adolfine pulled out some rolled up clothes and threw them to Toshiro. He saw a long white tunic and some kind of scarf.

"The tunic is called 'thawb'. Almost all people wear white because it deflects the sunbeams the best, and in this desert climate, it is crucial. The scarf looking thing is called a 'kufiya'. You can wear it in various ways, but for now, you'll wear it in a matter that conceals your face. Now, put the tunic on your uniform, and I'll arrange the kufiya for you."

Toshiro put on the robe, and Adolfine wrapped the kufiya around his head so only a part of his face around the eyes was visible.

"There you go!" She shouted proudly and gave him his sunglasses. "Now put these on, and you'll look like a dictator from a banana republic."

"Heheh…" Toshiro let out a dry laugh. "Oh, we are landing now."

"Yes, I also felt it. Ready to begin a new chapter in your life?"

"Slightly unsure, but ready, Adolfine."

The plane landed.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	11. Chapter 11 – New and old friends alike

Chapter 11 – New and old friends alike

"No, no, you don't have to." Adolfine said when Toshiro grabbed his chest. "Just lock it; it will be transported to the base."

"You sure?"

"Yes. It's on the second shipping manifest." She said and gave him a piece of paper with a few columns of writing.

Toshiro skimmed through it briefly. He found all of his gear, ammunition for his guns, and various other types of munitions, probably for the 31st itself. There were however some few odd positions on the manifest.

"A trumpet? What would they need a trumpet for?"

"Bugle calls?"

"Meh, probably… Hmm… A radio… That I can understand… Ok well, I suppose I have to take this one with me?"

"Correct, Toshiro."

"And should I just stay silent all the time, or can I say something now and then?"

"Only when I permit you. I want you to make a better entry than with Mio!"

"Jealous?" Toshiro asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Ambitious."

"Well, pfff, whatever, are we going out or what?"

"Get your wallet and pistol just in case."

"Okay."

Toshiro attached the ammo pouch and pistol holster to his belt, and put the wallet in his right pocket.

"Good, we can go now." She said with a confident voice and opened the door.

The setting sun was being reflected by the white building of the town of Tobruk. The two of them, some shady big figure and a Brigadier General in a skimpy uniform ventured deep into the streets. They came across a villa, which was guarded like a fortress by the looks of it. Both Karlslandian, Liberian and even Britannian soldiers were guarding the premises of the small palace.

"What gives with the defenses of this place…? Last time I was here, only two guards were here, of which one drunk like shit… Come on, let's go…"

The approached the guard post at the main gate, and were immediately halted by the guards.

"Halt! Ausweiße (ID's)!"

They presented their ID's to the overzealous guard.

"Hmmm… Can the big guy at least show some of his face?"

"Sure. Do it, Toshiro."

He pulled of his glasses and slightly pulled down his kufiya. The guard looked at him and said:

"Gut…" He then looked at a list. "Major Edelweiss und Generalmajor Galland to visit Feldmarschall Rommel, ja?"

"Yes." Adolfine answered.

"Come with me, there's a… situation right now."

"What kind of situation?"

"You won't believe it until you see it, Frau Generalmajor…"

They were lead into the mansion before a big double door. The soldier that led them knocked on the door and said, "Herr Generalfeldmarschall, your guests have arrived."

"Ah, gut, let them in!" Somebody shouted back.

"Please, enter." The soldier bowed and went back the same way he came.

Adolfine opened the door and entered the room, Toshiro following her.

The room was spacious, and had a burning fireplace installed. Various hunting trophies were hanging on the wall, both of land and aerial game. A simple chandelier was hanging in the center of the room, giving out a dim light. Four people were in the room, three siting on chairs, and one on a wheelchair. Just by a quick glance at those sitting on the chairs, he could see that he found himself in a tight situation. Even the meeting at Downing Street was an afternoon tea party compared to what he saw here. The wheelchair man, which had a blanket on his legs, didn't have any insignia or uniform, but the rest were, from right to left: Field Marshal, another Field Marshal and 3-star General. Toshiro praised his goddess in his mind, because if he hadn't been wearing sunglasses, his eyes would be the same as Adolfine's now: big, round and showing utter surprise.

"Ah, Adolfine! Wunderbar that you joined us. We are currently drinking tea, care to join us?"

"W-w-w-what is happening here? Why are so many important people in one room all of a sudden?"

"I will explain alles (everything) to you, Adolfine, but please, introduce your companion; I believe everyone is dying to know his identity."

"Ah, um, yes, Herr Generalfeldmarschall!" She said out loudly and looked at Toshiro. "Don't stand like a dunce, introduce yourself." She said silently through clenched teeth.

Toshiro unwrapped his head and pulled down his sunglasses. His long white hair fell down and wrapped his upper body from all sides. Toshiro assumed a proper stance, saluted, and said, "Major Toshiro Lucas Edelweiss, Karlsland Wehrmacht, wizard and nephew of the Kaiser, heh…"

The reaction to these words from the people besides the Karslandian Field Marshal could only be described as shock.

The Liberian General spoke up first.

"Fucking impossible! Ike was at your damn funeral!"

"Bloody impossible indeed!" The Britannian Field Marshal joined.

The man in the wheelchair looked at Toshiro silently, but finally spoke up.

"Nothing is impossible in this world, gentlemen… Just tell me one thing, sonny - was it set up or some accident?"

"Nothing was set up, sir. My absence however is not a matter I can freely discuss about, but rest assured: no political, military or whatsoever intrigue was plotted around me."

The man nodded, and it was a nod of a wise man.

"I see… Well, I think we should introduce ourselves, because from your eyes I can see that you don't have an idea who are you dealing with, right?"

"Yes sir… I see the ranks, but don't know the people behind them, so to speak…"

"Then I'll start!" The mustached Britannian said and got up. "Bernard Law Montgomery, a pleasure to meet you!"

He took Toshiro's hand and shook it vigorously.

"A pleasure to meet you sir. How is Winston going?"

"You know Churchill?"

"Ah, well… We had a drink with him and Ike, and they invited me to play cards with them one day…"

"I understand. Well, he's still drinking like a water pump, and smoking like a chimney as I heard, but besides that, nothing changed in the last few months."

Toshiro turned to the Karlslandian Field Marshal.

"Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, but people call me the Wüstenfuchs (Desert Fox). A pleasure to meet the Kaiser's family in person."

"And pleased to meet you, Herr Generalfeldmarschall."

They took a manly handshake, and the Liberion General approached.

"So… You are the Karlslandian Emperors nephew… Not too shabby, I have to admit… Put up your dukes, I want to see if you're a real man." The elderly looking Lieutenant General said to him.

"General… I'd abstain from that idea if I were you…" Toshiro tried to talk out the General out of it.

"Chickening out already? Pffft! What kind of man are you?! Mommy and daddy didn't teach you how to fend for yourself?"

Toshiro's eyebrow twitched. Although he was now rid of the Sacred Flame's bad influence, he was still human after all.

"General… Really… I wouldn't like to hurt you…"

"Hurt me?! A man in a skirt can't hurt me! Come on, I'll give you one free punch!"

"Herr Rommel, do I have to do this?" Toshiro asked.

"Just do what the man says; let's be over with it…" Rommel sighed.

"Okay, General… You'll get one punch from me, but that's more than enough."

"Just hit me already you damn sissy!"

Toshiro coiled himself and with blinding speed unleashed a hefty one-handed push to the Generals chest, making him fly back into his chair, surprisingly not breaking it.

"What the fuck was that?!" The General screamed.

"That was my weakest punch. Wait, it wasn't even a punch, it was rather a nudge…"

"God damn son…" The General said, stood up from his chair and approached Toshiro. "George Smith Patton, and may I never cross your path as an enemy…"

"Heh…" Toshiro looked to the man in the wheelchair. "I'll hope you don't want to spar with me, sir?" Toshiro said and giggled.

"Oh no, no… I'm just an old man in a wheelchair… But I probably should say who I am right now. Sorry that I can't stand up, but my legs are a bit busted… Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President of Liberion." The man said with a smile.

"P-p-president of Liberion?! But how… here… now?!"

"I was returning from a conference in Europe, and my flying boat broke down near Tobruk. Now I'm waiting in this villa for it to be repaired."

"A true honor to meet you, sir!" Toshiro shouted.

"Likewise." Roosevelt said and extended his frail arm to Toshiro.

He grabbed it gently, and then Yuki spoke to him, _"Toshiro… This man… He's not going to live long…"_

_"What are you saying, Yuki? He doesn't look that bad…"_

_"I can feel it, Toshiro. He may look sort of lively, but his life force is fading…"_

_"Hmmm… A shame… Good that I got to know this man…"_

"So this whole racket with the guards is because of you, Mr. President?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't claim all the glory for myself..." He responded.

"But your guards are either very open to people, or plain stupid, Mr. President…"

"Why is that so?"

"They didn't frisk me when we entered. I have a Mauser C96 and four clips attached to my belt."

Everyone looked at Toshiro with attention.

"That really is alarming, son… But frankly, I don't give a damn anymore… My legs are 'kaput' as you, Karlslandians would say… Maybe I should stand down already, Harry Truman is a good sport, and he'll make a nice president… If the people pick him in the election of course…"

"Oh please don't say such things, Mr. President, as long as you live, you shouldn't give up hope."

Roosevelt put on a faint smile, and said, "Maybe… Ike was right about you, you really are a fine lad…"

"Thank you…"

Monty suddenly said, "So, will you be joining us for this god damn tea or not?"

"I'm sorry, but we have to go now, it's getting dark already, and we want to arrive at the base of the 31st before it's too dark." Adolfine responded

"Oh what a shame… Well, nice meeting you two."

"Likewise, Field Marshal Sir…"

"The driver should be waiting for you outside, have a nice trip." Rommel said with a smile.

"Jawohl!" Both Toshiro and Adolfine shouted and left the room.

While they were walking to the gate, Adolfine said, "Whew… Finally I can breathe easily…" Adolfine sighed.

"Compared to our little chat in London, this was something of an even bigger caliber…"

"This totally surprised me… I only thought that Rommel would be there, but damn it, the three Generals of Africa met in one room, and with the President of Liberion to boot! You sure are attracting the finest people, Toshiro."

"Heheh... Well, I am unique and… Oh my, is that…" Toshiro saw the driver standing before the Opel Blitz supply truck.

It was a familiar person to him, a certain gray-blonde girl from Britannia.

"Horbie!" Toshiro shouted.

"Hey, don't go shouting just like that! Your face is exposed!" Adolfine scolded him.

Toshiro wasn't listening, because he was already running to Horbie, which was looking at him perplexed.

"Toshiro? But how can this be? I was at your funeral! I cried my eyes out back then damn you!"

She shouted in anger and suddenly slapped him in the face.

"Please, calm down, Horbie…"

"Oh… Okay… I'm sorry… But you probably understand…"

"Yes, I do… But if I were some stuck up martinet, I would have to report this, and believe me; I know a thing or two about military law…"

"Oh? So you are a Major, just like you were promoted posthumously?"

"Yup. And I also have judicial officer papers, so…"

"Oh come on…"

"Yeah, just teasing you… Say, you will be our driver? How did you end up here?"

"I will be your driver, yes. And as for how I got here… I turns out that Maloney had pulled strings to take me off active duty, but apparently Sir Churchill himself reinstated me, and… here I am, in Montgomery's witch squad. I sometimes drive supply trucks, if I am asked to, especially for the 31st, but mostly I'm fighting… Fighting like hell like some say, heehee…"

"So you are an acquaintance of Toshiro?" Adolfine said from behind Toshiro.

"Yes ma'am, Captain Eugenia Horbaczewski, pleased to meet you."

"Well, a friend of Toshiro is my friend. Brigadier General Adolfine Galland, also pleased to meet you."

They shook hands and Adolfine said, "So, we should get going, right?"

"Yes ma'am, please get seated."

"Toshiro, get your head wrapped up and… Horbie is it? Please, don't tell anyone about Toshiro yet, okay?"

"Yes ma'am."

Horbie climbed into the cabin of the truck, with Toshiro taking a seat in the middle, and Adolfine sitting by his right side. The 6-cylinder engine of the truck started and they were off.

Toshiro looked to the left and saw a power and phone line going over the sand, with poles placed every 500 meters. After some time, they had to stop at a checkpoint. A witch in a land Striker Unit was on guard. Toshiro recognized the individual; it was Furuko Kitano. She was clad in a short-sleeved uniform on her upper body, but her lower body was only a skimpy loincloth that barely covered her even more skimpy panties. In her hands, she had a Type 38 rifle, with a bayonet attached.

"Good evening Horbie, how are you doing?" Furuko asked.

"Oh fine, Ruko, thank you. I have guests for the 31st, can I go now?"

"Hmmm… Do they have any clearance or something?"

Horbie looked at Adolfine, and she in turn leaned over forward to have a better look at Furuko and said, "Isn't it enough that a Brigadier General is visiting you?"

"G-General?! Please, you may pass!"

"Thank you, Sergeant."

"Bye for now, Ruko."

"Bye Horbie..."

The truck moved on, and in a few minutes, they arrived at the center of the base. The three of them jumped of the truck. There were a few lamps dangling from poles, which also had speakers on them.

"Toshiro, follow me closely and don't utter a syllable until I tell you, okay?"

Toshiro almost wanted to say 'okay', but he bit his tongue in time and only nodded. While they were making way to one of the tents, Toshiro saw a cow in a pen.

_A cow… In the middle of a desert… A cow in the military base in the middle of the desert… Oh the humanity… But at least that solves the mystery of the fodder and salt licks._

Toshiro also saw the witch called Matilda, looking curiously at him, but soon disappearing in one of the large tents. As the three of them approached a tent, they saw a short plank with 'Knock before entering' written on it, dangling from a rope.

Adolfine was a bit surprised and baffled by this, but she took the plank and knocked twice.

"Come in." A voice came from inside.

"Stay here, time to start the show." Adolfine whispered.

Toshiro nodded, and the two entered the tent. He turned around, his back to the tent, and stood there, listening to the conversation.

"Horbie? Oh, and we have a guest? Woah, Adolfine!"

"Nice to see you after all these years, Kei. I'm here leave you a supervisor for the next month."

"Ehh… EH?! A supervisor? Why? Where is she?!"

"Oh, the Wehrmacht has decided to give this particular person a job as a supervisor as a way of training and improving skills. You should assemble your witches, so everyone knows what's going on."

"Wait, wait… What will this supervisor do?"

"Supervise, what else? The duties of this supervisor are as following: watching you, evaluating you, sending reports, procuring supplies etc. Also, what should be noted, this supervisor has nigh unlimited power, and the only thing taboo is disbanding the unit or moving staff."

"I want to see that in writing!" Keiko shouted.

After a few seconds of rustling, Adolfine said, "Here, everything legit and certified."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww… And it was so peaceful here… Might as well call the witches…" After a brief pause, the few speakers that were mounted on poles awoke. "This is your commander, everyone assemble before my tent, now. And I mean EVERYONE."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Keiko."

"Uuuugh… Whatever… Let's go in the front of the tent already…"

After a few seconds, the pale-blonde haired Fusan got out of the tent, and looked at Toshiro. She scanned him from top to button, and said, "So you are the supervisor… I hope you won't be a bother?"

_How direct… So this is the Commander? A miko outfit with a short hakama, a black scarf around the neck… Modest yet elegant I must say… An her hair is so bright…_

Toshiro only shrugged.

"Ugh…" Keiko turned around to see the space before the tent.

Soon all of the Witches were assembled before the commander's tent. Toshiro saw all the witches from the dossiers, except for Furuko, which was on guard duty. But something struck him as he was counting heads. He saw two faces that were all but unknown to him - the red headed Liberian and black haired Romagnan.

_My goddess… What are Shirley and Francesca doing here? And why are they looking so tired? To look so tired, one would have to unload a fucking trainload of coal!_

"As I see that everyone is present, I would like to make an announcement… From today, we have a supervisor in our base, so you'd better behave at your best…"

The eyes of the gathered started darting between the masked Toshiro and Galland.

"Oy, which one is it?" The one Toshiro recognized as Mami Inagaki spoke up.

At the same time, Toshiro stepped forward, lining up with Adolfine. Toshiro saw that the crowd reacted a bit, but the biggest reaction was from Shirley. Her eyes started welling up with tears and she started moving forward, pushing through the gathered witches.

"No… Impossible… You can't…" She was talking while walking forward like a living corpse.

"What is this behavior, Captain Yeager? Back in line." Keiko commanded.

Toshiro raised his left hand and made a 'come closer' gesture.

Everyone around was stupefied, except for Adolfine, who already knew about their relation.

Shirley approached Toshiro, took of his sunglasses and undid the lower part of the kufiya. Tears started to flow even more intensively and she hugged him tightly.

"Thank God… You are alive… Toshiro…"

"Yes, Shirley…" He said with a calm voice, embracing her lightly.

* * *

**Notes:**

**Roosevelt in Tobruk – not quite an asspull, might I say. FDR visited Egypt on February 12, 1945, after attending to the Yalta Conference. So a little adapting and poof, he's in Lybia. :P**

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	12. Chapter 12 – First night

Chapter 12 – First night

The gathered witches were paralyzed because of what they saw. However, the state didn't last long, as a shout pierced the air.

"TOOOOOOSHIIIIIROOOOOO!"

Francesca shouted from the top of her lungs and ran to Toshiro, who was now releasing Shirley from his embrace. Lucchini jumped at him with such an impetus, that they both landed flat on the sand.

"Hey, Francesca, nice to meet you! And… Why are you trying to grope me again?" He asked the Romagnan, who was sitting on his stomach.

"Something changed! Your boobs have grown!"

"Hahahaha! No, Francesca, those are not boobs, only muscles, and they didn't grow that much. Why are you looking so dirty and worn by the way? Do you have a mining operation here or what?"

"Ehhh… Heheheh…" Francesca wandered with her eyes across the sky.

Toshiro's gaze wandered to Shirley, which in turn started crying again, and she threw herself on both Francesca and him lying in the ground.

"Saaaave uuus Toshirooo!" Shirley wailed. "We are doing slave labor heeeere!"

"Calm down, please… What happened?"

She immediately calmed down and followed Francesca in gazing nervously into the sky.

Toshiro sniffed a bit and asked, "Why do you reek of cheap wash powder and sweat?" Toshiro started standing up. "Will someone answer me why the fuck do these two like they just returned from digging up a clay deposit?"

The witches from the 31st looked nervously at each other, but then Toshiro heard a voice from behind.

"They were punished with doing miscellaneous tasks for what they did a few days ago, upon arriving in our base." Keiko said with a cold voice.

"And how did they deserve their punishment?"

"The black one started…. groping us one after another…"

Toshiro raised one of his eyebrows, a bit confused. He looked at the two mischief-makers and asked, "Is that true?"

"Yesh…" Both answered childishly.

Toshiro turned around to Keiko.

"What's their current status, military wise?"

"Free soldiers, but…"

"But?"

"But we took their transportation measures, so they won't run away…"

"So you are telling me, that just for groping yours and the others boobs they are now held against their own will in this base, and what… washing underwear and shoveling shit from under that cow?"

"Uhh… Sir, before I reply, can I know who I'm dealing with?"

"Oh yes, of course." Toshiro turned around to the rest.

"My name is Toshiro Edelweiss, and I'm a Major of the Wehrmacht, and your new supervisor and judicial officer. Some may also know me as the Kaisers nephew." Toshiro turned around to Keiko, only to see her terrified face. "So, an answer to my question, Major?"

"Y-Y-Yes sir, the situation looks just as you presented it…"

Loud murmuring was heard from the gathered witches behind his back.

"Adolfine, we need to talk." Toshiro said with a cold voice, and made a hand gesture in the direction of the tent.

She walked in with him a bit hesitantly, and asked, "What is it, Toshiro? Don't tell me that you want to court martial Keiko or something; she is my friend from since the Fuso Sea Incident."

"No, no… I just want a request from you… A little favor…"

"Let's hear it…"

Toshiro neared Adolfine, and whispered into her ear. After a minute, he stepped back and asked, "Doable?"

"I think yes… Well, not a bad idea I must say…"

"Then let's turn it into reality."

They both stepped out, and Adolfine said, "I have something to announce. From this day onward, Charlotte E. Yeager and Francesca Lucchini are officially members of the 31st JFS and assistants of Major Edelweiss. Additionally, all their faults are hereby officially pardoned. That is all, and now I have to return to port before it gets dark. Everyone, unload the truck, it is mostly food for all of you, but some things are Toshiro's personal belongings. More supplies will be delivered tomorrow after sunrise. Any questions?"

Marseille raised her hand.

"General, what the hell is going on here?"

"Ah, Marseille… Straight to the point, huh? Toshiro will explain everything in due time, if he wants to of course. For now, just remember that he's the boss of Keiko, understood?"

"Yes ma'am…"

Adolfine turned to Toshiro and said, "So, this is it… I am leaving you for at least a month. Your first single mission for your new homeland… Thanks for the trip."

"I should thank you, Adolfine. What I experienced during it was… unique… I hope you have a safe trip home."

"Thank you, Toshiro. Go and look up what could be yours in the truck. I took a bedroll for you, it's in the shipment."

"Will do."

Toshiro, still with the top of the kufiya on his head, went to the truck. The witches started unloading the goods already. He passed by Matilda and Mami who were unloading the truck, and jumped into it.

He saw his chest amongst the things that were there, and a bedroll lying on in. Just as he was to take them, he remembered something. Toshiro started rummaging the supplies and swiped a bar of chocolate. Then he took his chest and a bedroll, and went to Shirley and Francesca.

"So, where do you crash in this joint?"

"We have a tent just for us, but it's a bit small… But you can fit in probably; we will be all snugly, heehee…"

"Yes, Toshiro! Sleep with us!" Francesca cheered. "The nights are really cold…"

"Okay, you convinced me. Lead on, you two."

They lead him to a small, pyramid shaped tent that stood behind the two bigger ones. Francesca opened the flap, and Toshiro saw two bedrolls and some items lying around in the sand.

"It ain't the Ritz, but I guess it will do…" Toshiro said, and placed his bedroll and chest inside. "You know what, Shirley?" Toshiro asked

"What?"

He pulled out the bar of chocolate he pinched and gave it to Shirley.

"I know its a few days late, but happy birthday..."

She looked at him surprised, but as soon as her brain processed the information, she hugged him and said, "Thanks…"

"And now that I successfully bribed you… Tell me how the witches here treated you. The whole, unaltered truth."

"Well… Before that stupid little boob fanatic groped Marseille, we were treated in a lukewarm manner. You know, they didn't unroll the red carpet for us, but they didn't shoot at us on sight either. But after Lucchini groped Marseille… Ugh… Hell unleashed…"

"So it's Marseille overreacting that got you into slave labor?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it slave labor, you know? It's more like doing the 'dirty work'. We get regular meals, water, and we have a tent over our heads, but we are banned from flying."

"You can't fly? What a damn waste of manpower… Say, how are the Neuroi attacks around here?"

"On daily basis. But mostly those are one, maybe two enemy flyers… On a rare occasion we see some Walkers, but that's not much…"

"Hmm… Thanks for the info… You think we should hit the sack already?"

"We could, actually. We are both dead tired after washing clothes and shoveling dung, right, Lucchini?"

"Yeeeeees…" Francesca moaned.

"Actually, wait a second; I'll take a walk around, okay?"

"Okay, just don't take too long. And you can take off that rag you are wearing, geez…"

"Oh right… I almost didn't notice that I'm still wearing it… By the way, how the hell did you recognize me?"

"Hahah! I waited for you to ask that question. You see, my womanly intuition and trained perception never failed me! First, your shoes. They are a unique pair for all I know. Secondly, your stature. An almost two meter high hulk appearing in the middle of nowhere? What are the odds, huh? And lastly, the same trick won't work twice on me, even if modified."

"Not bad, Shirley. I doubt I would recognize someone on behalf of that… Anyway, time to get undressed…"

Toshiro pulled off his excess clothes, and placed them into the chest behind him.

"Toshiro…" Shirley gasped surprised. "You hair… So long and… white…"

"Yeah, Toshiro has longer hair than both of us now!"

"Maybe I'll tell you the story behind it, but not now okay? Remind me someday."

"Okay… Wait, wait a second…" She said and looked Toshiro in the eyes. "Your eyes also changed. I remember them being jet black, and now their… crimson red…"

"Lemme see!" Lucchini shouted and shoved herself through Toshiro and Lucchini. "Oooh, they really changed. Not as scary as those snake eyes though…"

"The snake eyes are now gone, Francesca. The only way to know that I'm using magic, is actually detecting it. Okay, I'm off for a stroll."

He got out of the tent. The sun was setting dimly in a red color, a single thin line along the horizon. A 'welcoming committee' was already waiting for him - Marseille, Pöttgen and Matilda.

Marseille was clad like some Liberion teenager, wearing a skimpy skirt and a long sleeved black leather jacket over her desert uniform.

"What do we have here…?" Toshiro asked. "A welcoming party?"

"Is it you, Major? I barely recognize you without that thawb and kufiya." Raisa asked.

"Yes, Lieutenant Pöttgen, it's me."

"Mmmmmmhmmm… Ruko will have an orgasm when she sees your hair…"

"Huh?" Toshiro tilted his head in surprise.

"Don't listen to her, Herr Major." Marseille said firmly. "Now, if you could explain the current situation, in simple words…"

"Me boss, you underling." Toshiro said with a rusty voice.

"For fucks sake…" She hissed through her clenched teeth.

Toshiro switched to attack mode.

"Did I hear something, Captain Marseille?"

"No sir."

"Good, I thought so… Because, you know, you are threading on a thin red line right now… You made my two best friends do work fit for a peasant, and you forbade them flying… I'm quite frankly pissed off at what I'm seeing here..."

"But sir, that Romagnan girl groped my boobs! And the boobs of the rest!"

"And what, is that a fitting punishment for them? I would just beat them up and send them off on your place, but nooooo, princess had to make some slaves, because she can't wash her underwear… And that cow? I bet that is also your cow, right? Find someone else to shovel its shit, because while I am here, Shirley and Francesca will be treated with dignity, and they will do combat patrols! IS THAT CLEAR?!"

"Yes sir…" She responded bitterly.

"Good that you understand." Toshiro closed in to them. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not some tyrant, I'm just pissed of that you treated my friends like dirt. Shirley is a super high-speed specialist, only slower than me, and Francesca is her faithful wingman." Toshiro said calmly. "Starting from tomorrow, I hope we will have a fruitful cooperation." Toshiro said and extended his hand. "You can call me Toshiro, if you feel like it."

The girls looked dumbfounded at him, but Marseille finally grabbed his hand and shook it dearly.

"I'll call you Major for now. You can call me Hanna, or Tina like most people call me."

"A pleasure to meet you, Tina. By the way, what's the day plan here?"

"There's no plan. We work depending on the temperature. If it's too hot, we just sit in our tents and sigh in the heat."

"Heh… Fair enough. Oh, and Tina?"

"Yes?"

"I don't wonder why Francesca groped you." Toshiro said with a smile.

She took a step back and 'protected' her breasts.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I like to crack lewd jokes, but I have a girlfriend already. Maybe I'll tell you about her one day, but for now let's go our separate ways."

"Yeah…"

"Good night, you three."

"Good night." He heard the response from Raisa and Tina.

Matilda was looking at him with eyes cold as steel, not saying a word.

They stared at each other for a minute, and she was the one to back out.

_"She's… weird…"_

_"Ditto, Yuki…"_

Toshiro returned into the tent. Its two tenants were already waiting for him, fully awake.

"I see you are doing it again, right, Toshiro?"

"Doing what again?"

"Making new friends and spewing moralistic talks."

"Ah, heh… Yeah… I seem to work that way subconsciously… But hey, at least you will be able to fly again!"

"I can't wait to ditch this place…"

"Shirley… You know that you are now a part of this unit, right?"

"Yes, and?"

"If you go AWOL, as your commander I'll have to court martial you, to which I have full authority…"

"Damn, I didn't think about that… I still remember what happened to Miyafuji back in Britannia… Okay, I'll stay, but promise me that you'll try to improve our living standards, okay?"

"I believe I saw something in the shipping manifest that will improve it substantially… But for now, let's sleep. Good night you two."

"Night." Shirley said.

"Muuuu… Zzzzz…" Only so much was heard from Francesca.

Toshiro stretched himself in his bedroll, and thought for a moment.

_So I'm stuck here in the middle of the desert with a joint Fuso-Karlslandian unit, but I found these two. It will be a long month, but I hope I can get all those girls on my side, and make this unit at least a bit better…_

Then he drifted away, for his first night under the starry sky of Africa.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	13. Chapter 13 – Matilda

Chapter 13 – Matilda

Toshiro woke up around 0500 as usual, or actually, Yuki was the one who woke him up.

_"Wake up, sleepy head! You are in duty now, and its 5 AM in this time zone! Time to have an itinerary again!"_

_"Uuuuuugh… You are literally worse than the Plague… Or the pox… Or taxes…"_

_"Don't bitch around; you'll adjust in a few days! Up you go!"_

_"Yeah… Okay, one Toshiro coming up! When did my familiar got replaced with a Drill Sergeant…?"_

He opened his eyes, and looked to the left. Francesca wasn't there, but led by instinct, he knew where she could be. Looking to the right, he found the little boob connoisseur using Shirley's breasts as pillows.

_Sweet and lewd at the same time… They really fit together._

Toshiro silently stood up and went outside of the tent. The morning sun started peeking out shyly from behind the horizon, bathing the surrounding with warm orange light. He decided to walk up to a dune and take a look around the base. After positioning himself, he memorized the base layout.

It was placed in a corner made from two dunes, one in the east, and one in the south. There was an opening with a road to Tobruk on the north, and a makeshift sandy runway to the west. He saw their tent behind two bigger ones. What he didn't see yesterday, is that one of the tents had a red cross on a white square painted on it. There was also a large tent near a big tank, with a metal chimney protruding from the backside, which must have been the dining tent. He also saw a large tent besides the cow pen, and the commander's tent. There was also a fortified entrance dug into one of the dunes, which sparked the interest of Toshiro, but for now, he carried on looking around.

Near the runway, he saw a half open shed, and various weapons and Strikers in it. Power lines were splitting from one pole, and were going into every tent, except for the one in which they lived. He also noticed a big antenna coming out of Keiko's tent.

_I'm curious how the distribution of people looks like… Might as well peek around a bit…_

Toshiro activated the Hebigan and looked around again. He recognized Shirley's and Francesca's signatures in their tent. Thanks to the fact that the used the Hebigan for a split second yesterday, he knew the signatures of the rest of the witches. Mami, Furuko and Raisa were sleeping in the tent near theirs. Tina was sleeping alone in the big tent, and Keiko was doing likewise in hers.

_Where's that creepy Matilda… Hmm…_

Suddenly, he more felt then heard somebody behind him.

"I can sense you, Matilda."

He turned around and saw her in the same clothes as he saw her in yesterday: a white long sleeved shirt, a colorful necklace, skimpy white panties and flip-flops on her feet. She was taller than the rest of the witches here, about 170 centimeters.

"An impressive perception skill, white one." She said with a neutral, deep voice, almost not fitting someone of her age and gender.

"White one? Are you going on my hair color, or skin color?"

"Both, white one."

"Okay… I would prefer that you call me by my given name, Toshiro, but let us leave that for now… The more important issue for now is: why are you sneaking up on me so early in the morning?"

"I want to know more about you, white one. It's not common that a man possesses magical abilities, and I wanted to witness this rare phenomenon, especially if said man also has such hair and eyes."

"My hair color is a result of my grief, and my eye color is a side-effect of training by the side of a goddess."

"And what goddess would that be, white one?"

"The Great August Kami Who Shines In Heaven, Amaterasu."

"Is that a powerful goddess?"

"As powerful as any supernatural entity."

"I also have a god in which I believe in, the Great Searing Eagle of the South. I want to find out which of our gods is more powerful."

"I'd rather not go into a fight with you, especially that you are a civilian from what I see."

"Yes, I'm not affiliated with any military, white one. And why do you hesitate in sparring with me?"

"I made an oath to my goddess, not to use my powers against other people, unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Then I'll create such a necessity." She calmly replied and pulled out something from behind her back.

It was an over half-meter sword, which was straight from up the hilt, and then curved like a sickle from the middle. The blade was polished clean, and shining brightly in the morning sun.

"Ugh… Why do I always attract weirdoes with blades…? I'm warning you for the final time, I don't want to hurt you."

"Who will be hurt will be determined from the outcome of our fight. Prepare yourself!" She shouted and rushed at him.

Toshiro waited patiently with his hands crossed on his chest. When Matilda was just two meters before him, he gave an order to Yuki.

_Now!_

Time slowed down, with Matilda in a stabbing position charging at him. He pulled out the sword from her hand, stuck it behind his belt, brought her down on her knees, summoned his sword, and placed the blade just before her throat, holding her head with his left hand.

When the time flow resumed, Matilda had a spasm, and looked at him with confused eyes.

"What… What happened?! Why am I on my knees? Where is my blade? And what is that sword?"

"I just showed you the power of my goddess, and my familiar. Your blade is stuck behind my belt on my back. And this sword is my sword, Aganaimaru. I would advise you not to move, or your head might accidentally roll down this dune, and it would be a shame to lose such a beautiful witch."

"I give in, white one. Your goddess has given you more strength than my god gave me."

Toshiro dispelled his sword and extended his hand to Matilda.

"I told you, it's Toshiro."

She grabbed his hand and pulled up herself. While still holding his hand she said, "As you wish, Toshiro."

"Tell me one thing: you fought me only because of my hair and eye color?"

"Yes. Amongst my people, such a man like you would immediately be considered a powerful shaman, so I wanted to be sure if you stood up to those expectations."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Matilda. I may be a powerful wizard, shaman or whatever witch doctor, but I'm also a normal man, maybe a bit too perverted at times, heh."

Matilda put on a small smile on her face.

"So what is the perverted wizard doing up at this time?"

"When I was in Britannia, I usually made some rounds around the base and did some lifting before breakfast."

"The runway is a good place to run here, but we don't have any lifts, you have to forgive us."

"Meh, don't worry, running around will do. Want to accompany me?"

"I actually do jogging in the morning myself. Follow me, Toshiro."

They ran down the dune, through the base and onto the runway. However, before an hour passed, Matilda stopped.

"I would advise to stop now, jogging in the sun is not a good idea."

"Good, I wanted to stop anyway."

"Fancy any milk?"

"Milk?"

"Yes, milk. Mistress Marseille always likes to drink milk in the morning."

"Well, if you are offering, I'll take drink some. Oh and… What is your relationship with her anyway? When I first heard that you are her servant, I felt a bit… uneasy…"

Matilda looked surprised at Toshiro.

"I understand the concepts of racism, slavery and indentured servitude, Toshiro, but this isn't any of them. My god gave me a vision in which he showed an incarnation of an eagle, and told me to go north. After an arduous journey I finally found Mistress Marseille, which I now serve and protect."

"Thank you for the explanation, Matilda. You could also say that I'm on a mission from my goddess. My goal is to eradicate the Neuroi from the face of the Earth."

"A long and dangerous quest…" Matilda said with respect. "Let's get some milk then, I believe there's still some in the pantry."

"Pantry?"

"You probably saw the door to it, it's a room dug in one of the dunes."

Toshiro nodded.

They ventured on to the mysterious door in the dune. Matilda pulled out a sturdy key and unlocked the door. Although wooden on the exterior, the door was actually made of metal from the inside. It was dark in the pantry, but Toshiro only looked in from the outside, and from what he saw the pantry was well stocked.

Matilda came out with some milk poured into a milk can lid.

"No glasses inside." She briefly explained.

"Whatever…"

Toshiro took a sip first and said, "Wow, it's really cold! And good!"

He gulped down the rest of the milk, and gave the lid back to Matilda. After a few seconds, she came out and closed the pantry door.

"From what I heard, the room was designed specifically to keep the milk of Mistress Marseille cold, but the commander seized it as a pantry for everyone. The door has wooden planks attached from the outside to keep the heat from coming in, and the metal door is filled with… vacuum or something like that to insulate the heat. But I don't know what that actually means; I'm only a simple woman from Transvaal."

"So Marseille only wanted a freezer for herself?"

"Yes…" Matilda said a bit ashamed.

"You are very talkative compared to yesterday by the way, what changed?"

"I was distrustful towards you, and I'm rather the loner-taciturn type, the ideal servant…"

"I'm glad that changed. When is breakfast served here?"

"Between 0700 and 0800, depends when Mami gets up."

"She is the cook? Incredible…"

"She cooks very well, and the kitchen is accustomed to her… physical conditions…"

"I see… And I also saw the key to the pantry… Tell me, how many people have one?"

"This key is Mistress's, and the commander has one. I believe that she also has a spare…"

"Good, good. I'll have to have a key as your supervisor, so I don't have to bug you or Tina…"

"I trust you would not pilfer our supplies?"

Toshiro looked at her with a disgruntled face.

"I'm a man of honor and a high-ranked officer; I can't afford such petty crimes…"

Matilda smiled.

"I can feel it from you, Toshiro. Despite a slight case of pervertitis, your heart is made of gold."

"I already have a few nicknames related to that trait of mine…"

"Care to tell me?"

"Heh, yes… One would be 'Big Daddy' and the other one would be 'Giant with a heart of gold'."

"Hahah! Splendid nicknames indeed. I hope you will take care of our unit."

"I will, I promise. Oh and…" Toshiro pulled out the sword from behind his back. "…I believe this is yours. I've never seen such a design to be honest."

"It's called a 'khopesh' or sickle-sword. An Ancient Egyptian design that I took liking in. May I have it back?"

"Sure, but don't try to stab me, heh…"

Toshiro turned the blade in his hand, so it laid flat on his palm. Matilda took the sword by the hilt, and stuck it behind her back.

"You have a sheath on your back?"

"Convenient, right? But where do you store that gigantic sword of yours?"

"In a pocket dimension."

"Huh?" Matilda tilted her head.

"I summon it at will."

"Oh yes, now I understand. I also have a slingshot that I use when fighting Neuroi."

"A slingshot… Really…"

"You wouldn't want to get hit by a rock I fire from it, believe me…"

"I have to take your word for that…"

"Yes… I could demonstrate, but that would wake up the whole base…"

"I'll could also demonstrate something in exchange, but that would also wake up the whole base."

"Then I'm looking forward to an encounter in a secluded place…" Matilda said with a seductive voice.

"Who has the pervertitis now… I'll actually show what I want to show before everyone; maybe they'll get more respect for me that way?"

"The girls here are not easily impressed, so don't try to fool them with a shiny penny."

"Oh it won't be a shiny penny, oh no… So, since I already know most of the base's layout, maybe we should part ways and return to our respective tents?"

"A good idea. Mistress always has some weird caprices after waking up…"

"Later then, Matilda."

"Later, Toshiro."

He returned to his tent, and saw that Francesca was still sleeping on Shirley. Toshiro lied down and looked at the 'roof' of the tent. He could see the blue sky through the various holes.

_Although I know that the desert is not a place where you can expect rain anytime soon, I'd still like a whole roof over my head… I hope that that transport will come today…_

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	14. Chapter 14 – Wir sind die Jäger!

Chapter 14 – Wir sind die Jäger!

Toshiro felt that his mouth was being reorganized by a pair of small, soft hands. When he opened his eyes, he saw Francesca sitting on him.

"Hewwo Fwansheshca."

"Heehee, hi Toshiro."

"Wai aw yuw puwwing my chiks?"

"I wanted to wake you up in a different way!" She cheered happily.

"Hau vewy fowftuw ov yu… Now wet me gow, ow iw'w wook wike Qwawimodo…"

"Heehee, okay."

Francesca stopped pampering his face and stood up. Toshiro looked around and saw no sign of Shirley.

"Hey, where's Shirley?" Toshiro asked.

"Oh, she's just stretching before the tent. Will we have to do the laundry again today, Toshiro?"

"Not if you don't want, Franny. If anyone tries to force you into it, just holler."

"Okay!" She shouted and ran out. "Hey, Shirleeey! We don't have to wash the undies!"

Toshiro raised the flap of the tent and went out. He saw Francesca running around Shirley in joy, and the latter with a wide grin on her face.

"You guys really hated doing that, huh?" He asked.

"Oh, Toshiro! You don't know how damn dirty and smelly their panties and bra's get, bleh! But hey, will we have to do the other dirty jobs?"

"Not if you don't want, I'll take care of that. Time for each one to do his own dirty work… But now I have a perfect punishment if I want to discipline somebody! Hah!"

"You can punish somebody? Anybody?" Shirley asked.

"Yeah, even the commander if the need arises. But then I have to convene an official hearing, and get me, you and Tina into a committee, because Katou and I have the same rank, and you and Marseille have both the second highest ranks."

"Oh snap… Hey, wait… But that's a two to one vote disparity!"

"Yes…" Toshiro smiled devilishly.

Shirley returned the smile, and both were now looking like two creeps.

"Shiiiiirleeey! Let's grab something to eat! The food should be better thanks to the supplies!"

"Good idea!" She responded full of energy. "Toshiro, coming with us? We'll show you the way."

"Heh, I already know the way."

"Huh, how?"

"I woke up two hours ago and looked up the base's layout up from the dune. Aaaaand I had a little 'fight' with Matilda."

Shirley's and Francesca's faces froze into a scared grimace in an instant.

"Y-y-y-you what?!"

"Matilda wanted to see whose god is the best, and it turned out my way."

Their jaws fell down quickly.

"Wow…" Shirley said when she regained the ability to speak. "We are only a few days here, and we already learned that you don't mess around with Matilda… One day she shot down a small Neuroi with her slingshot..."

"So it's true what she told me… Well anyway, she is a good girl. Or maybe woman, I can't guess her age… What about that food?"

"Oh right, we gotta go!"

The three of them calmly went into the dining tent. Inside were two picnic tables slid together with their shorter sides, with plates and cutlery on them. A big stove was standing in the back, with many utensils, pots and pans hanging on the tent wall on about a meter height. Before the stove, there was a small stool, and on it, Mami was stirring the content of a pot, wearing a chef hat and a white apron over her white-red miko outfit.

At the tables, the whole 31st was sitting and watching at Toshiro.

"Hi." Toshiro said and raised his hand.

Furuko squinted her eyes, looked carefully on Toshiro and asked, "Who are you?"

"A supervisor from Karlsland." Toshiro responded calmly.

"Huh? When did you come?" She asked clueless, tilting her head.

_Are you an idiot?!_

"Ugh… Remember that guy in white that came here yesterday?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"That was me."

"No way!"

"Way, Sergeant."

"And you are now in our unit?!"

"Yeah."

"How did that came to… OH! OOOOOOH! Your hair!" She screamed wildly.

"What about it…"

Furuko wildly jumped out of her place and ran up to Toshiro.

"T-this hair! It's beautiful!" She shouted while grabbing Toshiro's hair. "It's so… so… long and…" She started stroking it against her cheeks. "I will stroke it, and brush it, and wash it, and style it…"

"Told you, Major…" Raisa sighed from the table.

Toshiro grabbed the ecstatic Furuko by her shoulders and put her in front of him.

"Listen, Sergeant… May I call you Furuko?"

"Y-yes please!"

"So, Furuko… As much as I admire your fascination with hair, I'm not entirely sure I should use your services… Sure, your hair looks beautiful, with the dangling curls and everything, but do you think you could take care of my hair in a way that wouldn't make me look effeminate?"

She looked at him carefully, or rather at his hair. One could almost see the synapses working in her brain. After a few seconds, she looked down.

"No…" She said silently and with a sad voice. "I don't think I could stand up to such a challenge…"

Toshiro looked at her, and then on the rest of the girls. The atmosphere was tense, even Mami turned around and stopped stirring the content of the pot.

Toshiro sighed and said, "Okay, I'll tell you something… If it makes you happy, you can brush my hair when we are both off duty. What do you say to that, Furuko?"

She slowly raised her head. A small smile could be seen on her cute face, which made Toshiro's conscience easy.

"Thank you… Major…" She said shyly.

"Call me Toshiro."

"No, no… Major is good enough, I couldn't address my superior by first name just like that…"

"Okay… But remember, my name is always ready to be called."

"Sure…"

She went back to the table and sat down.

"Well, now that we have that behind us… Mami, for crying out loud, what's with that soup?!" Keiko shouted wildly.

"Don't get your shit in a knot, give it a few minutes!" The small Fusan replied.

"I'll kill her one day…" Keiko muttered. "So… You are our supervisor, right?" She said to Toshiro.

"Live and in color."

"Yes… Normally, I would be skeptical to a supervisor, but I thought it through… Feel yourself welcome. If you are friends with Galland, and a nephew of the Karlslandian Emperor, what should I be afraid of?"

"That I could snap and order you to run around the desert naked?"

"Pfffffheheheh… You wouldn't…"

"I probably wouldn't… But I can do it… You see, I never heard an apology for how you treated Shirley and Francesca…" Toshiro leaned back, looked at the tents roof and dwindled his thumbs. "Maybe I should order all of you to wash my undies for the next month?"

"B-but that small one was groping us!" She responded confounded.

"But did you have to react like a bunch of stuck up virgins? You behaved like your tits were holy ground, and Francesca's hands were infidels riding on horses…"

"Well, because we are…" Keiko's face suddenly flushed with a color comparable to Coke red. "I mean, ahem, I found that incident highly demoralizing, and I had to introduce a proper punishment, so it wouldn't happen again." Keiko said in an official tone.

"It seems that I won't crush a concrete wall with a rubber hammer… Fine, than I officially ban the two in question from doing any chores not related to combat or their personal wellbeing. Everyone will do their own laundry, Marseille will shovel the dung of her cow, and everyone will care about his Striker by themselves. So sayeth me!"

"But that will disrupt the work of the whole unit!" Keiko protested.

"Disrupt in what way?" Toshiro asked.

"The two were always doing the dirty work when we are in combat, and we could rest afterwards in ease."

"Then reorganize combat rosters. Shirley and Francesca are capable fighters, and won't shy off before just any Neuroi. And… heh… When I get my gear, you'll see the true meaning of combat…" Toshiro said with a sly smile.

Keiko looked angrily at him, but her face suddenly changed and she asked, "And what guarantee I have that you will prove yourself in combat?"

"See these?" Toshiro pointed out to the two medals hanging from his neck.

"Yes… Oh my… A Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords! And a Legion of Honor!"

"They don't give them out for peanuts. I killed almost three hundred Neuroi, and a Neuroified battleship, all by my own. Also, if you want to know, I designed an engine upgrade for the P-51 Strikers, and a night vision device. I flew with a speed of over thirty thousand km/h from an altitude of a hundred kilometers."

Even Mami turned around to look at him while he was saying that.

"My IQ is 150, and my familiar is supporting me with godly abilities. I may be an orphan, but I have a loving uncle and a grandma somewhere in Neue Karlsland. And I have a girlfriend waiting for me back in Fuso…" Toshiro raised his hand and summoned his sword. "I also have a magic sword, which enables me to perform devastating sword spells." Toshiro dispelled the sword. "So… What qualities do YOU guys have, besides being stuck up virgins?"

The 31st members were stunned after his little show and tell, and by his aggressive tone. However, the shock didn't last for long.

"I'm a crack shot, and I can predict the movement of the enemy to such a degree, that it looks like it flew into my bullet stream on its own accord!" Tina stood up and slammed her open palm against the table."

"I can reduce the weight of my equipment, enabling me to fire enormous cannons in flight!" Mami shouted from the kitchen, waving a ladle over her head."

"I-I can do many things, both in combat and outside of it!" Raisa stood up and instead of slamming the table, she patted it once."

"I can perform guard duty, mend clothes and do hair!" Furuko stood up and slammed the table.

"Toshiro already knows some of my skills, and will know more in the future." Matilda said calmly and stood up peacefully, garnering the gazes of everyone.

"And I'm the commander of this sorry bunch, and also a photographer! Together we are the 31st Joint Fighter Squadron 'Afrika'!" Keiko stood up and slammed her fist harder than anyone else. "What do you say to that?"

Toshiro started clapping in a slow rhythm, causing some confusion.

"Bravo, all of you, magnificent. You have all shown guts and perfect teamwork against an unknown and common enemy." Toshiro stood up and bowed. "I am truly honored to be able to supervise this unit!"

The consternation in the unit reached its peak right now.

"Oh right, I'm now a citizen of Karlsland, bowing is out of my scope of cultural heritage, heh… So anyway, sorry for calling all of you what I called you, but I had to see how you'd react…. Warrant Officer Inagaki, you should either stir what you are cooking or serve it, or it will burn."

"Oh crap!" She shouted and moved the pot from the fire. "Thanks for the heads up, Major."

"No problem. What are you cooking actually?"

"Goulash! A witch from south-eastern Ostmark taught me!"

"Judging by the smell, it probably has divine taste!"

"Oh you bet it! If Rai would help me, it would be something to tell tales of!"

"Rai?"

"That's my pet name, Major." Raisa politely explained. "I sometimes help Mami with the cooking."

"Oh, okay, good to know." He said.

Mami took the pot, and went on to the gathered. It was a hilarious sight, because the pot was almost as big as Mami herself, so only her head was peeking out from over the top.

"Any help, Warrant Officer?" Toshiro asked.

"Are you implying something? That I am a little runt perhaps? Or as small as a pea?!" She shouted back.

"Gods, no… Sheesh, someone remind me not to be caring around here…" Toshiro grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Major, I overreacted… I'm really sensitive over my height… I will manage on my own, I'm used to it, although it must look funny…"

"Well, I must admit it's a peculiar sight…"

Mami poured everyone a full plate of soup, and they all ate. The praises for Mami's goulash weren't ending.

"This soup, or how would you classify it, is really good, Warrant Officer." Toshiro said honestly. "Although I would add some laurel and more paprika."

"Suggestion noted, Major. Next time I'll try it your way."

Suddenly a car horn went off outside of the tent. The honking was going in a 'two short, one long' pattern.

"Major, Horbie arrived." Keiko stated calmly, finishing her goulash.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	15. Chapter 15 – Denied!

Chapter 15 – Denied!

Since Toshiro finished this stew, he went out of the tent to greet Horbie, and indeed, it was her standing in front of the truck. Since the truck was standing sideways, he also saw a protruding shape sticking out of the back of the truck, wrapped in burlap.

"Hi, Horbie."

"Oh, hi Toshiro. Almost didn't recognize you with that new hairdo of yours. I came with the first part of today's shipments, but unfortunately no Striker this time…"

"Awwwww…" Toshiro moaned disappointed.

"Perishables have priority I'm afraid, although I managed to bring you a boomstick for you, heehee…"

"If it's that shape sticking out like a sore thumb, then I'm happy."

"Indeed. Where's the rest by the way?"

"Finishing their goulash."

"Goulash? Hmmmmmmaaaaaannngghhh… I'm hungry just thinking about it…"

"Go in, I believe there's still some left. You probably are in a good enough relationship with the girls here that they'll let you have some."

"Well, maybe… But you don't have anything against it, right?"

"How could I, Horbie…"

"Heehee, just asking. You should send someone to unload the truck as I grab a bite, that way I'll fetch the next part of the shipment faster."

"Good idea."

Toshiro turned around and peeked into the tent.

"I need two volunteers to unload the truck, foodstuffs first. Oh, and could you give Horbie some goulash?"

"Sure thing boss, but she'll have to get it herself." Mami said. "I'll go."

"Me too, since I have the key to the pantry." Matilda said and raised her hand.

"Then it's settled, come on."

Toshiro went outside and said, "Horbie, it's self-service for you."

"I'll manage, thanks." She said and went inside.

Toshiro could hear a symphony of greetings. He went jumped onto the truck and looked through the goods. More than half of them were various foodstuffs like meat, vegetables, eggs and the likes. But the rest were old acquaintances of his, complete with a lot of ammunition. He saw his cannon, with the muzzle break and back end of the body wrapped around. His custom Type 99 Model 6 MG was almost entirely wrapped around.

"Yo, Major, will you be helping us?" Mami suddenly appeared and asked.

"I can, why not." He answered and started passing the crates down to Matilda and Mami.

After a while, only the ammunition crates and his guns were left.

"Hey, Major, is that all your stuff?" Mami asked.

"Not entirely, Mami. May I call you Mami?"

"Sure, why not. Hey, lemme have a look at those guns of yours!"

"Okay, but first the small stuff."

Toshiro unwrapped the cloth around the MG and discovered it has been modified. Pipes were coming from the coolant tanks and down to the bottom part, on which a cooler with electric fan was mounted. There was a switch and metal plate on the trigger handle, probably operating the fan. He also found a piece of paper stuck in the barrels cooling pipes.

Dear Toshiro,

As you can see, I have modified the Type 99 to accommodate it to tropical conditions. The coolant is now flowing through a radiator that is cooled either by the airflow during flight, or by a five-volt fan, activated with a handy switch on the trigger handle. Don't worry, the magic use is negligent. The proper designation for it is now Type 99 Model 6 trop. I hope it serves you well.

Ursula

_So Ursula stepped up and made some mods for me again… Awww…_

Toshiro gripped the trigger handle and activated the fan, which started rotating slowly.

_Nice…_

He turned it off just as Mami got impatient.

"Aw come on, Major! I want to see!"

"Oh, sorry. It appears this gun was modified yet again, and I had to take a look at it. Here, catch."

Toshiro threw the almost thirty-kilogram gun at Mami, who grabbed it as if it was a twig.

"Wooooah… A Type 99 in its original caliber! And the cooling system, wow! You could probably fire a thousand bullets with it! In a row!"

Mami threw the gun back at Toshiro.

"You should keep it wrapped up at all times, Major. The sand can do nasty things to the mechanisms."

"Thanks for the tip, Mami."

"Now show me that big gun!" She shouted excited.

Toshiro unwrapped the back part of the gun, and found another letter.

Dear Toshiro,

The modifications to the cannon were probably my favorites to design. I replaced the muzzle break with a new design, which will dampen the recoil slightly, and provide a beautiful flash. The night vision add-on is now easily detachable, and has a magic-conductive sling attached, so you can easily use it as a monocular. The recoil dampeners are now slightly enlarged, so given your likely increase in strength; you won't probably feel a thing now when firing. All these modifications ramp up the specification to Ausführung D. Oh, and look carefully when browsing through the ammunition, you might find something interesting.

Ursula

_Some handy mods she did there… And I wonder what she meant about 'something interesting'…_

"Heeey, Maaajooooor! Come on!" Mami shouted.

"Don't get so impatient, Mami. I was reading a note about the changes. It seems the cannon was also modified a tad from what I last saw it."

Toshiro yanked the cannon by the carrying handle and jumped out of the truck. He presented the cannon sideways, so Mami and Matilda could look at it.

"WOOOOOAH! That's even bigger than my Flak! Oh, wait, my gun has a bigger caliber…"

"It's not the size that matters, you should know about it more than anyone…" Toshiro huffed.

"Oh you… Hey, is there something interesting on the other side of it?"

"Pfuh, of course."

Toshiro turned the cannon to the left side, and at the same moment saw Mami's eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"A scope?! Waaaaaaaaah! I want a scope on my Eighty-Eight! Unfair!"

Toshiro's mind was invaded by a sly thought.

"Hey, Mami."

"What?"

"It also has an autoloader."

Mami was so destroyed by that news that she feigned crying.

"Why do I have to have such an outdated cannon… Boooo…"

"But at least you have something to shoot from, right?"

"Yeah… At least that…"

"Hmmm… Wait a second; I have to check something, okay?"

"Kay…" She mumbled.

Toshiro jumped back into the truck and rummaged through the ammunition containers. He found a lot of PzGr. 40 APCR shells, which he was using exclusively in Britannia. He also found some .38 High Explosive shells, but it wasn't the thing he was looking for, since a note, or rather two notes, was attached to another ammo case.

Dear Toshiro,

We have developed a new, or rather adapted an old ammo type for your cannon – the 5cm PzGr. 43 Armour Piercing Capped with Ballistic Cap - High Explosive (or APCBC-HE for short) K. On paper, it has a lesser penetration than the APCR; it is about 40% heavier and a bit slower, but look at the plus sides! Even if it doesn't penetrate the Neuroi, it goes boom! And when it penetrates it, it goes boom! Now mind it, this ammunition type wasn't field tested yet on Neuroi, only on metal plates, so if you would drop a report after shooting some Neuroi, I would be very happy, okay? And look at the supplementary documentation, you have a ballistic table there.

Ursula

Toshiro took the second piece of paper, and saw a detailed ballistic table for the new ammunition type.

_"Got it memorized, Yuki?"_

_"Sure do. As your personal ballistic assistant, I have to."_

_"Thanks."_

_"No problem."_

_"You are being awfully silent recently, Yuki, what's the matter?"_

_"I don't have reasons to scold or berate you, so I'm silent."_

_"And what about praising me?"_

_"Praising you? Pffffffft! Kill some Neuroi, now you are just socializing with these stuck up virgins…"_

_"Bitch bitch bitch…"_

_"I'm trying to be a good familiar here. Stop bitching or I'll stop lending you powers."_

_"Okay, okay… Sorry…"_

Toshiro opened the container with his new shell type, and pulled one out. Instead of a slant cone, the projectile was now a rounded one, with a longer base. The stripe painted on it was red-black, as opposed to the solid black of the APCR shells and yellow of the HE shells. He jumped out with the shell in his hand.

"So that's what you feed that cannon?"

"Yes, Mami. I didn't find any magazines, so I'll have to load shells one by one now. I hope Horbie fetches some mags next time…"

"I will, Toshiro." Horbie suddenly said from behind.

Toshiro turned around and blushed slightly.

"Oh, I would forget!" She put her hand in the breast pocket of her uniform and pulled out something. "Here, a transponder from Galland."

Toshiro picked it up from Horbie's hand and put it into his ear.

"Thanks, Horbie."

"I'm just passing it on from the General… Unload the rest of your stuff, I have to go already."

"Ok…" Toshiro's utterance was interrupted by a radio broadcast.

"hzzz Neuroi inbound to Tobruk, hzzz azimuth 160, speed 500, altitude 1000, small type, single target."

Keiko ran out of her tent and shouted, "Intercept pattern, Marseille, Pöttgen!" She shouted, but soon made a surprised face. "Huh? Where is everybody?!"

The girls busted out of the dining tent in a hurry.

"We're here, Kei!" Tina shouted.

"Wait!" Toshiro yelled. "Let's give Shirley and Francesca a chance."

"Edelweiss…" Keiko looked at him with an angry look. "Oh, fine, you'll be to blame if it fails... Yeager, Lucchini, move your asses!" She shouted and pulled out a key. "This is the key to unlock your gear, have a blast there!" She threw it to Shirley.

"Yes ma'am!" She shouted with enthusiasm. "Let's go, Lucchini!"

"Weeee! Combat!"

The two darted to the airfield.

"You place a lot of trust in those two, Edelweiss…" Keiko said.

"Yes, I do… But, I have a plan of my own."

"Oh really now?"

"Yes."

Toshiro turned around and fetched his gun.

"This is my backup plan."

"Huh? That cannon? Are you a good shot?"

"I've hit a target at four kilometers once with this cannon, so I could be considered a good shot…"

Keiko and the other girls looked at him with respect.

"Okay, let's get this over with… Mami, fetch me a container with these shells, just in case I miss the first shot. There should be one open."

"Okay boss!"

She lunged into the truck and after a few seconds, she jumped out with said container.

"Splendid, now follow me."

Toshiro ran to the top of the southern dune, with Keiko, Raisa, Tina, Horbie, Mami, Matilda and Furuko following him.

"Okay, could somebody undo the cloth wrapping the muzzle break for me? Oh, and please don't throw it away."

Surprisingly, Marseille ran up to the end of the barrel and uncovered the muzzle break. Compared to the old one, which looked like a can full of holes, this one looked more sleek. It was a rectangular block, with slant edges, with three two-centimeter wide and three tall slits cut up on the sides.

"Thanks, Tina."

Since Toshiro was already holding a cartridge, he placed it at the same spot where it would be if a mag were present, and pressed the autoloader switch. A whiz could be heard, and the shell was yanked down. The cartridge fell down on a tray, and got rammed into the breach, which was then closed.

Mami's eyes were sparkling after witnessing the reload speed.

"Now we wait." Toshiro said calmly.

In the meantime, the two assigned for the interception took off in a cloud of sand and dust, and were flying fast to the south-south-west direction.

"We have found the enemy, approximately five clicks from the base. Intercepting now!" Shirley's voice was heard over the transponder

Toshiro pulled up the cannons sights to his eye.

"Okay, I see them. The Neuroi seems not to give a single fuck about the two, and just darts straight forward…"

He could also see that the girls were showering the Neuroi with bullets, but to no avail, since they couldn't find the core.

_"Seriously? We have fought a Neuroi like that… Oh whatever, time to take matters in my own hands…"_

_"Dial in thirty, Toshiro, I'll tell you when to fire."_

_"Roger."_

"What the fuck are those two doing?! They can't hit the Neuroi for shit!" Keiko roared.

_"How can she see that far with the naked eye?"_

_"Maybe some kind of magic, dunno. Focus on your task. And keep one eye opened, so I can focus on tracking the target."_

_"Sure, okay."_

Toshiro waited patiently, and then Yuki shouted, _"FIRE!"_

Toshiro pressed the trigger button and the cannon fired. The muzzle flash created in the process was similar to a pine tree, since the gas escape channels were at an angle.

_O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum…_

The empty casing was ejected from the back of the cannon with an audible clang. He saw the projectile flying at a steady speed of 900 m/s. It hit the Neuroi dead center, at first digging a hole in it and then exploding violently. The well-known crystalline flake shower was a sign that Toshiro could add another Neuroi to his tally.

Toshiro pulled down the gun and grabbed it by the carrying handle. The look of the faces that the girls made was priceless. Mami, Raisa and Furuko had their jaws dropped wide open. Tina's eyebrow was twitching abruptly. Horbie, Matilda and Keiko made sturgeon faces, and nodded respectfully.

"Awwww, Toshiro! You spoiled our fun!" Francesca shouted angrily through the transponder.

"Oh shush, at least you had an occasion to fly, right?"

"Yesh…" Francesca answered childishly.

"You knew that things would go that way, right?" Keiko asked.

"Yup. I sort of predicted that they would get a bit rusty, but I also wanted to test a new ammunition type, as requested by the chief researcher back in Neue Karlsland."

"Well, I would guess it's a success?"

"Yup, one hundred percent." Toshiro said, and started talking to the transponder. "Say, Shirley, think you could cross the sound barrier over our heads?"

"With pleasure!" She shouted with undying enthusiasm.

"Sound barrier?" Tina asked.

"You don't know? It was in the papers I believe. Shirley was the first that flew faster than sound."

"Nah, you're shitting me…" She shrugged it off.

"Really? Then prepare yourself, unbeliever."

Everyone looked into the sky and saw Shirley charging at full speed in their direction. Suddenly a vapor cone started forming before her, and just as she flew over them, a loud bang was heard, and the shockwave travelled to the dune, throwing up some sand and startling the girls.

"What was that?!" Keiko shouted surprised.

"The undeniable proof that Shirley crossed the sound barrier." He answered, and then talked to Shirley again. "Good job, redhead. Now come back to the base, I believe you will need to explain yourself…"

"Okay…"

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	16. Chapter 16 – Sins of our mothers

Chapter 16 – Sins of our mothers

After Shirley and Lucchini landed, both approached the gathering before Keiko's tent with heads hung low.

"At least you are not boasting, you two…" Keiko said. "Come on in the tent, Edelweiss too. The rest is dismissed."

"Roger!" The dismissed witches shouted and went their ways.

Shirley and Francesca went into the tent as if they were going to the chopping block, and Toshiro felt that they weren't entirely wrong.

He entered just behind them. The insides were rather Spartan but very functional. From an aerial view it could be divided into four quarters.

The upper-left one was the 'commander's quarter'. A metal desk was standing there, with some papers on it. A small bookcase was standing behind, with a filing cabinet besides it. Also besides the desk was a bench with both a radio for comms and civilian broadcasts.

The upper-right corner was the 'resting quarter'. A field bed was standing in the corner, perfectly covered. A Leica II camera was hanging over the bed, along with a katana.

The lower-right corner was the 'secretary's corner'. A commander always has some assistant, so this is probably her workplace. A desk smaller than Keiko's was standing there, but it was definitely better used, because a typewriter was standing on it, surrounded with unending stacks of papers.

The lower-left corner was the 'antechamber to hell'. It was where Shirley, Toshiro and Francesca were standing, like anyone else having some business with the commander.

Keiko sat on her chair, weaved her fingers together in a thumb dwindling position and asked, "Now you two, what was that for a performance back then? You probably used up two mags and tape respectively, and still didn't destroy the Neuroi… Could you explain how the hell that happened?" Keiko tried to say calmly, but flames were sparking in her eyes.

"Well, ma'am… You see…"

"Stand in attention when you are reporting, Captain Yeager." Keiko said, still trying to keep calm.

Shirley straightened up immediately.

"Well, we didn't have proper training nor combat situations for five months, ma'am… We may have gotten a bit rusty…"

"A bit rusty is the same understatement as saying that you can be 'sort of' pregnant. Of course that speed you possess is something nice, but frankly, you can't shoot for shit. Ammunition is scarce here, and we can't replace weapons easily. So, any additional statements from you two, or can I simply throw you out already?"

"We always relied on Mio…" Francesca mumbled under her nose.

"What was that, Ensign Lucchini? Speak up."

Francesca scuttled behind Shirley who answered for her.

"Ma'am, we've always relied on Major Sakamoto's Magic Eye for target and core location acquisition…"

Keiko tilted her head in surprise and asked, "You were in one unit with Little Mio? Hah!"

"Wait a minute." Toshiro interrupted. "You didn't know that she was in the 501st?"

"In the 501st? Interesting… First time I heard it though, I never asked them about their previous affiliation… I don't even have their dossiers, since they're strays…"

"Unbelievable…" Toshiro muttered while shaking his head. "And Little Mio? She would gut anyone hearing her being called that…"

"Hahah! So Little Mio got her own witches that she commanded… I remember her as a squirt during the Fuso Sea Incident… She had great potential back then…"

"She used up her talent and potential to its fullest, and I believe she still wants to improve… although her shield is made of papier-mâché now…"

"Oh right… How old is she already? Twenty?"

"Yes, since August. I even made her a birthday party and gave her a gallon of moonshine as present, heh…"

"How nice… But anyway… Yeager, Lucchini, I'll take you under my wings now, we have to give you a refresher course, okay?" Keiko asked with a small smile.

"Yes ma'am!" Both shouted happily.

"Dismissed you two, I have to talk with your friend…"

The two exited the tent, leaving Keiko and Toshiro alone.

"So what do you want to talk about, Commander? How a big stick in a mud I am?"

"No, Edelweiss… It's just that… See those papers near the typewriter?"

"Yeah, and?"

"I… Need someone to sort them for me, and you are the only one that has clearance to view documents here…"

"Why didn't you ask it in the first place? Sure, I can help you. I already helped in the 501st, although I wasn't authorized, but nobody gave a fuck to be honest. How do you want it sorted?"

"By date, newest first…" Keiko said a tad flustered.

"Put on a tune, and I can work. Do you prefer me with or without my shirt?"

Keiko made big eyes and started shouting, "W-what kind of request is that?! Pervert! Rapist!"

"Calm down, Major, it's just a joke. Whenever I was sorting documents, I was working with another witch, Gertrud, and the room was damp and hot, so I always pulled my shirt off, much to the liking of the aforementioned…"

"Oh, okay… I'd prefer you with shirt on now…" She said while blushing slightly and turned on the radio.

"Hier ist Radio Tobruk, und jetzt für euch: Es war ein Edelweiss (This is Radio Tobruk, and now for you: Es war ein Edelweiss)."

The tunes of the song started flowing through the speaker, and a choir of male voices started singing.

"Hey, Edelweiss, what is this song about?"

"About a white mountain flower called edelweiss. It's a song about love…"

"Like most of them…" She sighed.

Toshiro started to sort the paper, listening to the radio, and peeking on Keiko doing her paperwork.

After an hour, he stretched himself and said, "Finished…"

"So fast? Impressive, you really are multitalented… Thank you for doing this for me…"

"No problem, Major. Where can I get a swig of H20 here?"

"Ask in the kitchen, Mami should be around there."

"Will do. Later!"

"Later…"

He got out of the tent into the scorching noon sun.

_No… Just no…_

He quickly ran into the dining tent, and saw Mami putting out the plates and cutlery already.

"Oh hey boss! I stowed away your cannon and MG back in the shed, wrapped up and everything!"

"Thanks, Mami. Say, could you give me a glass of water?"

"Sure boss!"

She fetched a glass, poured him water from a big milk can and handed it over to him.

"Thanks."

He quenched his thirst and asked, "Hey, Mami, what's with you and the Major both wearing miko outfits? I believe it isn't an official uniform?"

"Oh, that? Keiko had that uniform during the Fuso Sea Incident, and I sort of… admire her…"

"Well, isn't that something… Where did you learn your cooking by the way? That goulash was really something."

"Oh… You sure know how to fluster a woman…" She said with a slight blush. "I was brought up in a house of a viscount, so I had an all-round education, including cooking. Since my mother is a descendant of Mori Ranmaru, I had to have some standards to keep up, right?"

_"MOVE OVER!"_

Suddenly Yuki forcefully took over Toshiro's body and slammed his fists against the table.

"Did you say Mori Ranmaru?!"

"B-b-boss, what is happening!?"

_"Yuki, stop it!"_

_"I won't! She is the descendant of the bitch because of who Rinko's and consequently all of your ancestor's lives were made miserable!"_

_"Yes, I know! But solving this issue with violence won't do us any favors!"_

_"Fuck favors! I want retribution!"_

_"Yuki… Or I'll use Lockout…"_

_"N-n-nno! Please… I'll be good! Just don't…"_

_"Good, now shoo, I want to talk on my own…"_

_"Okay…"_

Toshiro cleared his throat and said, "Ahem… Right… That, my dear Mami, was my familiar, Yuki. She got really pissed off by a tiny detail in your genealogical tree, and frankly, I'm also a bit nervous about that now…"

"Me being a descendant of Mori Ranmaru? But… That whatever could happen was almost four hundred years ago!"

"Yes, but you see… Yuki is a bit 'aged' if you get what I'm meaning… I didn't ask her, but a millennium would be a good guess…"

"So… What is this all about? What did my ancestor do to her that the hates me so much?"

"Well, let's start from the beginning… Yea back, in the period of the Warring States, Oda Nobunaga fancied a witch going by the name of Rinko Miyafune… The result of that love was an inflated belly of the latter… Everything would be peachy, if not the fact that Nobunaga fell for his underling and your ancestor, Mori Ranmaru… Rinko was pushed aside to say it delicately, but she swore revenge. The cunning Nobunaga took matters in his own hands, and dispatched assassins to dispose of Rinko, probably thinking that woman in the eight month won't be hard to eliminate. Boy was he mistaken… Rinko wiped the floor with the assailants, but she had to ditch her living place, and seek asylum. She found it in a mountain temple near Yokosuka, just about when she was to bear a child. In the meanwhile, Yuki forsake Nobunaga for such a despicable act, and parted with him."

"I see… But I don't think she should be THAT much pissed at me…"

"Wait, there's more. Rinko bore the child in the temple, but alas, she died in labor, holding her newborn daughter in her hands. Eighteen years later, Keiko Miyafune is knocked up by an unknown man. A month later, she gets to know the truth about her mother. She rushes into the inner sanctum of the shrine, where the revered Sacred Flame was housed. She tried to take control of that power, and take her revenge on both Nobunaga and Ranmaru, and it backfired greatly. She went berserk, and killed all the inhabitants of the temple… The goddess Amaterasu cursed her, locking her and her descendant's magic power along with the Sacred Flame. She also gave her a new surname, Akayama…"

Mami's eyes suddenly started growing as everything in her head started falling in place.

"Skipping seventeen or so generations, on the 5th of May 1926, a young and healthy boy was born, the first in over three hundred years, the son of Akiko Akayama and Lucas Edelweiss… It's me, Mami… The bastard son of Oda Nobunaga and Rinko Miyafune, now under my father's surname…" Toshiro said while activating the Sacred Flame for a few seconds.

Mami was truly frightened at what she heard with her face all pale.

"Now do you understand why Yuki flipped?"

Mami nodded at him with a blank expression, and suddenly she snapped out of it.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second here, boss; I have to fetch something from my tent!"

She darted out of the tent before Toshiro could even say a word, and got back after just twenty seconds, holding some scroll. She gave the scroll to Toshiro and said, "This is a scroll passed down through generations in my family, and now it ended in my hands. It is said that only when both a Ranmaru and Miyafune hold it together will it get unsealed."

"Well then, grab it, Mami."

She placed her hand on the scroll and the end unfolded on its own.

"Oh! It worked! Let's read it together, okay, boss?"

"Sure…"

Mami sat on the table, and they read the content of the scroll.

**Dear descendants of Rinko Miyafune and mine.**

**My love, Oda Nobunaga confessed to me on his deathbed, of an awful crime he had committed. He hunted down a pregnant woman, which was his mistress for long, just so he could be closer to me. He said that that woman's name was Rinko Miyafune. I have been searching high and low through all of Fuso for this woman and her child, but to no avail, as if they vanished into thin air.**

**That's why I am writing this letter, as an act of atonement for future generations. I had no bidding in those events, but I feel truly ashamed, thus I have a request for those reading this letter: please, don't dwell on the past. Forgive me and my love for all evil brought upon you…**

**I will pass this scroll on to my daughter Sasami as my legacy, and I will place a spell on it, so only two descendants of both families can read it.**

**Mori Ranmaru**

The two looked at each other, stumped and shocked.

"A moving letter, don't you agree, Mami?"

"Yes… I didn't know my family had such a dark secret…"

"So what now? We'll shake hands and fulfill Mori's will?"

"Hmmm… It's the right thing to do." Mami said and extended her hand.

Toshiro grabbed it gently and shook it.

"Ha… Hahahah…" Toshiro suddenly started laughing.

"What is it, boss?"

"I just realized something…"

"What is that?"

"That we are cousins in some two digit degree."

"No way…!" Mami shouted and started thinking. "But it's true!"

"So how will you call me now, Mami?"

"Well, now I can only call you by one name, and that would be Toshiro."

"I'm glad to hear that, Mami."

She suddenly threw herself at his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Yay! I have a family away from home!" She cheered.

"And now I have more family…" Toshiro said silently and hugged her back.

"Hey you two, what's going on?" A voice came from the entrance from the tent.

They turned their heads to the source of the voice and saw Keiko standing there.

Mami immediately crawled down off Toshiro and hid behind him.

"The short story is that we just get to know we both are cousins." Toshiro said proudly.

"Really?" She asked surprised. "I suppose its good news?"

"Very good news, ma'am!" Mami shouted cheerfully.

"I suppose so… Anyway, Horbie radioed in that she is on the way with supplies. She said that this will be the best truckload yet."

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	17. Chapter 17 – Wirbelwind

Chapter 17 – Wirbelwind

Before Toshiro stood up, a thought crossed his mind.

"Hey Major, can you leave us alone for a minute or two, I just want to clear one thing with Mami here."

"Well… I bet you two have a ton of things to say to each other, now that you have found out what you've found out… But if I don't see you two out of the tent in two minutes… Oh, wait… I can't do anything to you…"

"Heh… Don't worry, Major, I'll make haste."

Keiko smiled briefly and went out of the tent.

"Huh, Toshiro, what is this about now?"

"Well…" Toshiro pulled out his wallet. "…having looked through your dossier while on the way here I have discovered that you had your birthday recently…" He pulled out twenty pounds. "… so here, some birthday money for you. Not much, given the fact that you a viscount's daughter but…"

Mami's eyes shined with tears when he was talking, and she interrupted him.

"No! Nonono! It's good! Thank you for the present!" She said loudly and pinched the money out of his hands. "My funding got cut off, so I only rely on my pay… Thank you again, cousin Toshiro." She said with a shy smile.

Toshiro patted her on the head and said, "I'm glad my newfound little cousin Mami is happy."

Mami twitched suddenly, and asked with a cold voice.

"Little… Are you implying that I am as small as a grain of sand…?"

"Mami… You should overcome that height complex of yours…"

"Eashy to say fow you…" She said while puffing her cheeks.

"True, it seems that I've been blessed with quite some height… Maybe we should postpone this conversation for now; the Major is probably waiting for us."

"True, let's not let her wait." She paused and shyly asked. "Umm… Toshiro… Could you give me a piggyback ride…?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Oh… You know… You are so tall and stuff…"

"Hah, I get it… Hop on."

"Weeee!" She shouted and jumped on his back, and crawled upon his shoulders.

Toshiro lowered his head and went silent for a few second.

"Hey, Toshiro, what is it…?"

"Oh, nothing… It's just that my girlfriend always liked taking rides on my back with me… But that's also a topic for another conversation, let's go!"

The carefully stepped out of the tent, and saw Keiko watching into the dust cloud in the horizon. She looked back and saw the two.

"Well, you two got along quick… How's the weather up there, Mami?" She asked with a wry smile.

"Oh, fine, just like down… HEY! MAJOR!"

"Hahahahah!" Keiko laughed. "I'm sorry, Mami, but I had to."

Toshiro only shook his head and sighed.

After a few minutes, the Opel Blitz driven by Horbie parked in the center of the base. She jumped out of the cabin and greeted everyone.

"Hi."

"Yo."

"Hello."

"Hello, Horbie, what have you brought us now?" Keiko asked.

"The 'us' part is rather irrelevant to the contents of the truck, Keiko. It's more like 95% Toshiro's stuff."

"Huh?" Toshiro mumbled surprised. "But I thought that I'm only missing a Striker and FFG…" He said, which was a half-truth.

"It seems that Galland had other things for you in mind, except for those. Look at yourself, why don't you."

Toshiro with Mami still on his shoulders looked inside of the truck. He saw some metal pipes, a big bag, two round things packed in canvas, and many regular shaped items, also packed in canvas.

"Mami, could you get me those two long round things?"

"Of course, Toshiro!" She shouted with enthusiasm and jumped off his shoulder into the truck. After a few seconds, she carried the two items over her head to him, as if they were made of foam.

Toshiro only unwrapped a little part, and saw the piano black paint, shining in the sun.

"Good… Welcome back, Akuma…" He said gently and covered it back.

"Akuma?" Mami asked.

"The Bf 110 R, my Striker Unit. It was nicknamed the Akuma because… Well, I don't know, but it's probably got to do with the immense roar the engines give off…"

"I can't wait to see you fly!"

"Heh… Okay, put those down for now, I have to see what else the Galland Claus has brought…"

"Heeey, Tooshirooo!" The voice of Shirley rang through the dry air.

"Oh, Shirley? What's up?"

She ran up to him and asked, "Is that what I think it is?!"

"Yeah…"

"Hohoho! Finally, you'll be able to show your worth!"

"I don't think I have to show anything to anyone, but whatever… But I'm surprised there's no Launch Unit to this…"

"We don't use Launch Unit's, since they require a powerful three-phase line, and we are barely pushing 220 volts here. And maintaining the internal generators is a hassle…" Keiko barged in. "We instead use wooden racks."

"Ugh… Oh, while we are talking about Strikers… I have two questions…"

"Fire away."

"Who is maintaining the Strikers here?"

"We are paying local mechanics to do it…" She said somewhat ashamed.

"No need for that. Shirley and I can take care of that issue."

"Really? That would improve our budget quite a bit."

"Yeah. I can do maintenance in my free time; Shirley could do it full-time since she's such a buff, right?"

"Oh yeah! Give me some tools and I'll make those Strikers run like they're new!" Shirley almost screamed with passion.

"I see… Okay then, I suppose it could work that way. And the second question?"

"I sort of wanted to ask if I'll start from solid ground or concrete, since I have my doubts about the sand… My takeoff weight can near almost a ton…"

"A-are you serious?"

"Yes. My Striker, as you can see, is much bigger and heavier than the usual one. My full combat load is a cannon, an MG, four boxes of ammo, four cannon mags… And whatever I'll have to carry else."

"And you can carry all that?! Dear gods!"

"Heh… My Striker was made mainly for that, but it also has blinding speed capabilities..."

"Incredible… But anyway, we got the shed's floor paved with concrete, so you don't need to worry."

"Okay, thanks… Now I'll have to see what the hell is in there…"

"Already done, Toshiro!" Mami shouted. "Should I enumerate what's here?"

"Sure. But wait a second." Toshiro pulled out all the shipping manifests he had. "Okay, go."

"Well, we have here… A big tent kit, three field beds with blankets, a desk, a typewriter, a table, five foldable chairs, a cabinet, three nightstand, four reading lamps, a hanging lamp, a TeKaDe Karsländische Kleinempfänger civilian radio, a whole damn FuG 10 radio rack, an antenna, a crapload of cables and wires, office supplies, a sealed box and a funky backpack… Oh, and a trumpet… Toshiro, it looks like you got a whole office here!"

Toshiro looked through the papers, and saw that some numbers didn't match.

"Mami, are you sure about the beds, lamps and nighstands?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

"Um, I have something to say about that, Toshiro." Keiko said shyly. "Adolfine asked me about your accommodation, and that of your two friends. She didn't say anything in answer, but now I see what her mysterious smile meant…"

Toshiro saw that Francesca and the rest joined him, with the exception of Furuko, which was on guard duty.

"Hey, does that mean we get to live in a bigass tent and sleep on beds?!" Shirley was almost jumping from emotions.

"Seems so…" Toshiro answered.

"Hey, Major, I believe those two items behind you are Striker Legs?" Tina asked.

"Yeah, and?"

"Well why don't you take a spin and show us what you can do?"

Everyone was looking at him, and the air was literally shimmering from tension. Alternatively, it could have been the temperature.

"It can't be helped it seems…"

Toshiro turned around and unwrapped one of the Striker legs. The first thing he saw is that the air intake had now a filter mounted in it, and a letter was taped to it. Toshiro carefully picked it up.

Dear Toshiro,

Not much has changed in your Striker to be honest. The air intakes now have a 'Taifun' filter mounted, so the sand of the desert won't harm the engine. We also tweaked the compression ratio and magic flow a bit, so you probably have about 30-50 PS more… And that would be that… The designation for your Striker has now a 'trop.' added to the end. Oh, and we mounted a new starter, heehee.

Ursula

_Not much, but still…_

Toshiro also noticed that the Fuso moon-on-sun was away, replaced with the Karlslandian black-cross-on-red. Also, he noticed a white edelweiss decal right in the middle.

_Dawwww…_

"Hey, Toshiro, what's the hold up?" Shirley asked.

"Reading about changes to my Striker, be patient, I have a feeling that I'll have at least one letter to read before takeoff."

"Oh, okay…"

"Mami, get me that sealed box."

"Roger!" She responded, and in a few seconds, the box was already near Toshiro.

He opened it, and found what he presumed was inside. Of course, a letter was attached.

Dear Toshiro,

This is just a slightly modified version of the FFG-3, the FFG-3 Ausf.B. Only the top speed was extended, and the red needle was removed, since I got anonymous info that you have already beaten all speed records during the battle with the Warlock.

Ursula

Toshiro pulled out the device and attached it to his left forearm.

The girls were looking curiously at what he was doing.

"Uh, Major, what is that?" Raisa asked curiously.

"This? A device showing the parameters of my Striker Unit. It also allows controlling some… special functions…"

Raisa nodded, acknowledging his words, although the rest was rather baffled.

"Okay, Mami, since you are such a good and helpful cousin, help me with the Striker."

"Yes!"

She unpacked the second Striker leg and took both in her hands. Toshiro jumped up and sat on the edge of the truck, and got served by Mami. He felt his legged being sucked in, and he was ready for duty.

"Good job, Mami." He said and patted her on the head.

"Heehee."

"Uh… Toshiro? Did you just call this shrimp 'cousin'?" Shirley asked.

"Who you calling a shrimp, cow tits?!"

"Girls, hush…" Toshiro said firmly. "Since everyone is here, of course with the exception of Furuko, I should tell you this so no more awkwardness occurs. It appears that we both share a common ancestor, Oda Nobunaga."

Keiko who already knew about their family relationship made big eyes, but the rest was all 'huh?'.

"Y-y-you are a descendant of Nobunaga?" She asked.

"A bastard to be precise. Mami on the other hand is legit."

"Holy shit..."

"Who is this Nobunaga by the way?" Tina asked.

"A great warlord from medieval Fuso, who united the whole country."

"Oh… I suppose that's some nice ancestry?"

"Sort of… But that lineage is sort of watered down, my tie to the throne of Karlsland is a bit more fresh, but still of an illicit nature."

"I don't suppose you've received peerage?"

"Nah… I was… Unavailable for four months, resulting in my 'death'. But you all should know it; there are 2 witches from Karlsland here, and three from Fuso."

"Well, that article in the Neue Karlsland Abendblat was… unexpected…" Tina confessed. "Your death has interfered with a photo-shoot I was to attend to, and I was cursing you with all my might, which everyone here can confirm, but now that I see you alive I… well…"

"You don't have to talk about your feelings in public, Tina. We can always talk in private, at goes for anyone. The girls in the 501st asked me for favors and consultation many times, and I was glad that I could solve their predicaments. But that's that; now let's see if I can still fly this thing…"

"But don't you need a runway?" Keiko asked.

"I actually want to try something out, so trust me on this one… Okay, ignition!"

The ignition motors screamed in a high-pitched sound and the two powerful V12 DB 630M engines awoke to life in a trembling roar.

"This is actually the first time I start my Striker in a sitting position!" Toshiro shouted amongst the noise.

_Okay, let's try this…_

Toshiro pushed himself upwards on his hands, so he was now standing in the back of the truck. He concentrated his magic, lunged forward, and at the same time revved the engines to the max.

Toshiro flared up into the sky and settled on an altitude of one kilometer.

_This feeling of freedom… How I missed flying…_

"Hey, Toshiro, show them what that baby can do!"

He heard the voice of Shirley through the transponder.

"Oh don't worry, I do intend to… First, I'll have to get re-accommodated though, so I'll do some basic maneuvers."

Toshiro did a few barrel rolls and loops to get the feeling of the Strike.

_Time to get serious…_

Toshiro turned on the FFG and started climbing into the sky, reaching the altitude of fourteen and a half thousand meters, more than at the time he first flew with the Akuma.

_Now, the coup de grace!_

He flipped the turbo switch and prepared for the magic drain, but this time he almost felt nothing.

_"Is this crap broken?"_

_"You have progressed so much that when previously using the boosters you used up over half of your magic power, now you use up maybe five percent…"_

"Ain't that something…"

While slowly falling down, he waited for the appropriate lamp to turn on. From this perspective he could see the whole Tobruk, the base, and a column of tanks a few kilometers away from it.

The lamp on the device glowed green, and Toshiro started descending at full speed. Without the booster, he reached two thousand kilometers per hour, and five kilometers above the ground, he used the boosters.

The stream of fire shot out of the jet nozzle and he started accelerating fiercely, breaking Mach 2 in only a few seconds. He was still accelerating, but the ground was mercilessly coming to greet him.

"Edelweiss, is everything allright?!"

"As never!"

_Yuki, your time has come._

Just five hundred meters above the ground, she slowed down time for him. Toshiro took a gaze at the speed dial, and saw a whopping 2613 kilometers per hour.

_"Dayum… Okay now, Yuki, something we practiced without a Striker, the Ultra High G turn."_

_"Right on it."_

Toshiro turned his body to a horizontal position, and Yuki started slowly accelerating the time flow. He felt, as the G-forces mercilessly influenced his body, but not as heavily, as if he would do the turn at a normal time flow. As the time flow returned to normal, he started flying towards the base, and swept over it with the rest of the booster active.

He made a wide turn, decelerating his supersonic speed, and slowly approached for landing on the sandy airstrip. The girls were running to him, all at once.

When he stopped, Mami ran up to him and held his Striker.

"Oh, thanks."

Toshiro jumped out while doing a backflip.

"Ow… owowowowowow!" He started shouting while dancing around.

"Here, catch!" Shirley shouted and threw him his boots, which he put on midair.

"Thanks… The sand is so damn hot…"

The girls giggled at the remark.

"That was a splendid display, Edelweiss… Moreover, that ninety degree turn… What was that flaming stuff by the way? You had us scared shitless…" Keiko said with a concerned voice.

"A liquid ether booster."

"Fair enough… So… I believe you want us to pitch you a tent now?"

"Pfffffffthhhhh..." Toshiro had to cover his mouth not to laugh aloud.

Shirley and Tina had a similar reaction, while the rest was looking clueless at them.

"Why the hell are you laughing?" Keiko asked a bit angry.

"You know that 'pitching a tent' has a second meaning?" Toshiro said while restraining his laughter with all his will power.

"What second…" She froze for a second, analyzing the idiom, and then she blushed wildly. "GODFORSAKEN PERVERT!"

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	18. Chapter 18 – Raisa

**Big note here – I discovered that I was dead wrong about some forms of nationalities used in the Strike Witches universe. It would be a bitch to track and change everything and then updating it here, so here's a reference for the future:**

**Karlslandian (nationality) - Karlslander (a little wonky but makes sense)**

**Karlslandian (language) - Karlsländisch**

**Fusan (adjective) - Fuso**

**Fusan (language) - Fusogo (yeah, I laughed hard at this, but it makes sense)**

**Fusan (nationality) - Fusojin (ditto)**

**Gallian (language) - Gael**

* * *

Chapter 18 – Raisa

After Keiko let of some steam, Mami took care of Toshiro's Striker and stowed it away. Then, the self-proclaimed tent pitching team of the 31st started work. The first thing they did was to assemble the skeleton from sturdy aluminum poles, which was easy, thanks to the instructions provided in both Karlsländish and Britannian.

After digging the metal frame in the sand, Toshiro said, "We should probably do the heavy lifting now, since we have the most space now."

The girls nodded, and the moving proceeded.

The entrance to the tent was facing the west side, and the longest side, opposite to the entrance, was facing the eastern dune. Shirley volunteered to assemble the FuG 10 radio rack on the northern side. The solid wooden desk was placed near it, facing the entrance, and the typewriter placed on it. Behind it, a cabinet was placed with all the office supplies in it. The table and three chairs were placed in the corner of the western and southern sides, while the beds and nightstands were organized in a neat row in the southeast of the tent.

"We need power for the radioooooHHHH! The… room looks so cool, even without the tent itself covering the construction!" Shirley said amazed while turning back from the radio rack.

"You only noticed it just now?" Toshiro asked.

"Heehee… I got so immersed into assembling the whole set that I forgot about the whole world…"

"I'll fetch some electricity later, now we have to make sure we have some walls."

"You really are letting me and Lucchini stay in your tent?"

"Why wouldn't I? You are one of my best friends, and besides, living in that shitty wannabe tent is too low a standard for a Captain AND a Major."

"Yeah…"

Toshiro saw that the tent was being unruffled, and was now lying flat on the sand.

"Hey, Edelweiss, Yeager, take the corners and start pulling the tent fabric over the construction." Keiko ordered.

After a few minutes, the tent had a preliminary shape. Toshiro and the girls tightened the support lines, and dug the iron stakes deep into the sand. They also took the edges of the fabric and covered it with a great amount of sand, so bugs wouldn't enter.

They all looked at their work, visibly satisfied. Toshiro walked before them and said, "Ladies, thank you for your help, really… Now, everyone go rest and I will help Mami with dinner."

"Oh, you will?!" Mami shouted surprised.

"Yeah, sure. I would like to help my newfound cousin as much as she helps me." He said with a gentle voice and winked.

Mami squirmed in place hugging herself with a red face.

"I hope you know how to cook, Major..." Raisa asked with an insecure voice.

_Huh? What is this? Is this because… Oh, I get it…_

"You can help me if you want, Lieutenant. The more the merrier."

Toshiro could spot a brief relief in Raisa's face expression.

"Oh, really? Won't three be a crowd?"

"Three people in a kitchen? You should have seen the amount of people in the Yokosuka Naval Base kitchen… Three people would shit themselves and still not feed everyone..."

"Okay, then I'll go with you two." She humbly replied.

"Hey, hey, Toshiro, what about the antenna and the power line?"

"I'll do it later on, Shirley. Of course you can help me then, but don't try to do this alone; I don't want you to get electrocuted or something."

"Sure, sure… Big Daddy is back it seems haha!"

"Big Daddy… Haven't heard that in some time… Anyway, I'm off with Mami and the Lieutenant, we'll raise the mast after dinner."

Shirley and Tina giggled at his word choice, with the rest in the black as before.

_"Will you ever stop cracking lewd jokes?"_

_"Why should I stop? If I can make someone smile, I consider it a good deed."_

_"Toshiro the Idealist…"_

_"Stop being so grumpy or Toshiro the Dickweed will come out…"_

_"He already came out when you threatened me with Lockout… How could you..."_

_"You started berserking worse than I would with the Impure Sacred Flame, and against my free will, Yuki… I considered it a viable punishment for you, because it's the only thing I can discipline you with: sending you into solitary… A dark, silent solitary confinement, where you don't feel nor time, nor space, nor my presence…"_

_"Stop… Please… You only used it once in training on me, just for a minute, and I almost lost my sanity… I… I thought that I had been secluded for a year…"_

_"Yes… You literally wept back then… And that's why I'm telling you: my body is my own, and you can only control it when it's crucial in combat or to save my life, not to enact a vendetta. Where would I be now if I solved all problems with brute force or through terror?"_

_"I don't know… A prison maybe?"_

_"To say at least… So… No hard feelings?"_

_"No… How could I be mad at you? You brought me closer to Kuji… But don't think I love you or something, oh no!"_

_"That would be considered zoophilia I guess…"_

_"You and your imagery…"_

When Toshiro and the two with him came to the dining tent, Mami started giving out orders.

"So… Rai, you can peel the potatoes and carrots. Toshiro, peel the beets and radishes."

"You are making a soup, Mami?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes, a cold soup. You see, we have a pattern here: we eat dinner at breakfast since most of the times its hot food. At dinner, we eat cold but nutritious food, because of the heat. In the evening we eat hot stuff again, since the temperature drops significantly."

"Clever…"

Toshiro and Raisa continued with their task, but then the silence was broken.

"OW!" Raisa cried.

Both Toshiro and Mami looked at her, and saw her holding the bleeding thumb of her right hand with her left hand.

"Clumsy…" Toshiro said. "Suck on your thumb, Raisa. Mami, you get a band-aid, you know the base better than me. I'll peel those potatoes and carrots you have left, Lieutenant."

"Umkay…" Raisa answered while sucking her cut thumb.

Mami rushed outside of the tent in a hurry. In the meantime, Toshiro took the vegetables from Raisa and started peeling them one by one.

"M-Major…" Raisa asked shyly.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Are you really the cousin of Mami?"

"It would seem so, why do you ask?"

"Because she is my best friend here, and I want to know all about her…"

"All signs point out to the fact that we are related."

"Hmmm… Yes… Ummm… C-Can I call you by your first name, Major?"

"Why do you want to do it all of a sudden?"

"Because now we have a common friend, and I see that you are a good person…"

"Just because I peel potatoes with you? Hahahaha!"

"Please don't laugh at me… I'm serious…"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I tend to crack jokes at the utmost inappropriate times. Fine, you can call me by my first name, but that also goes likewise."

"Of course! Thank you, Toshiro."

"A pleasure talking with you, Raisa. Now where is that Mami? Did she go on a cotton plantation to harvest the cotton to make a band aid?"

"Heehee… No, but the med supplies are on a high shelf…"

"O… Heh… She must have a hard time with her height…"

"Not really. She got some comments when she was introduced, but now we only occasionally give her a nudge for laughs. And in combat her stature is actually a plus, because she is a smaller target, heehee."

"I can imagine… Okay, suck that thumb a bit more, and I'll go back to peeling."

"Kay."

After a minute, Mami busted into the tent, huffing and puffing, with scissors and a band-aid in her hands.

She treated Raisa's finger with care and said, "Now, done. Tomorrow you will be good, Rai."

"Thanks, Mami."

"No problem. Say, Toshiro, maybe I could sing a song to make your endeavor a bit merrier?"

"If I know the song, I can sing along."

"It's Heia Safari."

"Hmmm… I think I know it… Sing the first few lines, and maybe everything will fall into place."

"Okay, here it goes…"

**Wohlan durch Wüstensand (Through the desert sand)**

**und heißen Sonnenbrand (hot and sunburned)**

**hebt jetzt ein großes Jagen an (Now a major hunting is going on)**

**mit lautem Halali. (with loud fanfares of the hallali)**

"I remember it now!" Toshiro shouted and joined in.

**Die Jäger, die sind wir, (The Hunters, yes we are)**

**im weiten Jagdrevier; (on hunting grounds wide and far)**

**Das Karlsländishe Korps in Afrika (The Karlslander Corps in Afrika)**

**Heia! Heia Safari!(Hurray! Hurray Safari!)**

**Und wenn auch noch so wild (And even if the wild)**

**der Neuroi Löwe brüllt, (Neuroi Lion roars)**

**es nützt ihm nichts sein großes Maul, (his enormous jaws won't help him)**

**wir jagen ihn zu Tod. (we'll hunt him down to death)**

**Die Jäger, die sind wir, (The Hunters, yes we are)**

**im weiten Jagdrevier; (on hunting grounds wide and far)**

**Das Karlsländishe Korps in Afrika (The Karlslander Corps in Afrika)**

**Heia! Heia Safari!(Hurray! Hurray Safari!)**

**Und ist die Heimat weit (Although home is far away)**

**und ist auch heiß der Streit, (and though hot is the fray)**

**wir schlagen, wo auch immer wir (we'll beat you every time)**

**dich treffen Neuroi. (we'll meet you Neuroi)**

**Die Jäger, die sind wir, (The Hunters, yes we are)**

**im weiten Weltrevier; (on hunting grounds worldwide far)**

**Das Karlsländishe Korps in Afrika (The Karlslander Corps in Afrika)**

**Heia! Heia Safari!(Hurray! Hurray Safari!)**

After a few minutes of loud singing, Toshiro finish peeling the vegies.

"That was fun!" Raisa cheered.

"Singing is always fun, Raisa."

"Good job with the veggies! Now dice them up." Mami said.

Toshiro summoned his sword.

"Overkill!" Mami shouted with her hands crossed before her chest.

"Heheheh…"

She gave him a normal knife, and he diced up the ingredients in medium sized cubes.

"Splendid! Now get that big pot and fill it up to the half with water."

Toshiro took the pot and went outside. He walked up to the water tank, and slowly poured water from the tap. With the pot half full, he returned to Mami and Raisa.

"Good job, Toshiro. Now take Raisa somewhere, I want to be alone in my kingdom."

"Okay." He said and turned to Raisa. "Where do you want to go?"

"I should report my injury to the commander…"

"As you wish, I'll follow you."

They both entered Keiko's tent, knocking on the wooden plank before.

"Oh, it seems you are going along with all the girls here now, heh, Edelweiss?" Keiko asked sarcastically.

"Everyone except for you, Snow Queen. Anyway, Raisa cut her thumb, just a heads up."

Raisa raised her thumb after those words.

"I hope your sword wasn't involved in it...?" She asked with a raised brow.

"If that was the case, she would have cut her finger off by her elbow. It was only some crap potato knife."

"Oh really now?"

"Really."

"Show me."

Toshiro shook his head.

"Show me something that I can cut, but seriously, something I can destroy."

Keiko pondered for a while and pulled out something out of her drawer.

"Here, a paperweight in the shape of an elephant, steel."

"Fair enough…."

Toshiro summoned his sword, and turned it sharp side up.

"Raisa, you place the paperweight on the tip of the blade. Be very careful though."

She picked up the figure and carefully placed it on the blade.

"Okay, now just let it go."

As she did it, the paperweight simple slammed down on the sand in two perfectly cut pieces.

"Wha…" Keiko was out of breath after seeing this.

"If I would lay my sword down on your desk, it would be cut in half just using the weight of the sword and gravity."

"Don't you dare to even scratch my mahogany desk! You know how expensive it was?!" Keiko shouted at him.

"I would reimburse you, don't worry." Toshiro replied calmly. "So anyway, I'm off to my tent, I'll try to attach the antenna."

He walked out just like that, and since his tent was almost adjacent to Keiko's he was there in an instant. The radio antenna was a long and complicated piece of equipment, and heavy to boot.

Toshiro took the antenna with his super powered hands, and simply jammed in into the sand near the northeast corner violently.

"If it fits, it sits…" He muttered to himself. "Now to wire it to the radio rack…"

Toshiro went inside the tent, and saw his roommates lying down on their beds.

"Oh, Toshiro!" Shirley cheered. "What's up?"

"I'm looking for wire…"

"I left some coiled up behind the radio rack."

"Cool, thanks."

He went and checked for the wire, and saw a ten-meter coil waiting for him. Also, by some twist of fate, pliers were lying there.

"Toshiro, want some help with that?" Shirley asked.

"Nah, I'll be fine." He answered.

Shirley puffed her cheeks heftily.

"Okay, okay… You can do the wire work here…"

"YAY!" She shouted with joy, immediately sprung off the bed, and ran up to him.

She pulled out the wire and pliers from his hands, and started tinkering with them at the rear of the radio rack.

After a few minutes of her whistling The Battle Hymn of the Republic, she turned back to him and said, "Done! Now you can climb the antenna and install the wire."

"Leaving the man to do the dirty work…"

"Oh come on… I could possibly get Lucchini could move her sorry ass, but she is a klutz… If you would give her two metal balls, she would lose one and break to other, heh…"

"Hey! I heard that!" Francesca protested.

"So you ruining my Striker back in Britannia was what? Bad luck?"

"Eeehheehehe… But Toshiro repaired it! And he even upgraded it!"

"But what would happen if he wasn't around? Would you try to repair it?"

"Of course I would…" Francesca said while looking down. "I would stay up all night and figure it out…"

"Oh Francesca… What do I have with you… Anyways, good luck with the antenna, Toshiro."

"Yeah, yeah…"

He pushed the wire through a slit between the tent fabrics, and went outside, taking the pliers from Shirley.

Toshiro took the end of the wire in his mouth, and started climbing the antenna pole. Thankfully, there were some small bumps on it, or he wouldn't be able to climb. While on the top, he prepared the wire end, and attached it to the antenna.

"Heeeeeey! Tooooshiroooo!" The voice of Mami was heard from down under.

"What?" He shouted.

"It's dinner time, come on down!"

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	19. Chapter 19 - Radioholics

Chapter 19 - Radioholics

While Toshiro was sliding down the antenna mast, he saw Furuko riding in a cloud of dust with her Chi-Ha based Land Striker. As he set foot on the sand beneath him, Furuko whizzed past and parked her Striker before the dining tent.

Toshiro approached her when she was dismounting.

"Hey, Sergeant."

"Whawah!" She jumped up scared and turned around. "Oh, it's you, Major… I'm still not used to you…"

"Conversely, neither am I. I probably spent more time with Matilda then with you… Anyway, is nobody going to your post? I noticed this in the morning, but I thought it's a onetime occasion or something…"

"Oh, that… Well, Major, I don't know if Matilda told you, but she has unhuman perception, enabling her to hear or maybe even feel things from hundreds of meters. That's why we can eat our meals just like that; she is always vigilant, even in sleep."

"Certainly a convenient ability... Well now, let's eat; Mami is probably waiting for us."

"Roger, Major."

After entering, Toshiro saw that everyone was present, and that Mami only just started serving the soup.

"In the nick of time, Toshiro! You would have eaten cold if you were la… oh, wait a second, heheh…"

A few giggles could be heard after Mami's little fumble.

Toshiro was served a full plate of soup, and he took the first sip.

"Hmmm… You got this one just all right, Mami."

"Heehee, thank you, cousin."

Furuko turned her head in surprise, with her auburn curls falling down on one side.

"Oh right, Ruko, you weren't here…" Mami said. "Turns out Toshiro is my cousin! Can you believe it?!"

Furuko face changed from happy to semi-gloomy, and she took a close look at both and said, "Well, if you would tell me that you two were siblings, I would probably have to dig my jaw out of the sand, but cousins… Happy… Reunion or something, good for you two…" She mumbled.

_I wonder why she got so gloomy when Mami mentioned our family ties… I'll have to dig deeper into this issue…_

"Hey, Sergeant, care to brush my hair after supper?"

"OH! I would do it immediately if not for my guard duty! I can't wait to get my hands on those beautiful…"

_"Yuki… Don't tell me you have some weird fetish too…"_

_"Being a spirit for over a millennium, I couldn't develop any… Besides, I'm a goddamn snake!"_

_"Okay, okay… Just wanted to make sure you won't take control over my body to lick people's feet in the night…"_

_"Yeeeesh…"_

"Seconds…" Francesca muttered and shyly presented her empty plate forwards.

Mami looked into the pot and said, "Sorry, all out."

"Mwuuuuuuuuuu…" Lucchini pouted sadly.

"It's not like you're working, Ensign?" Keiko asked.

"Eheh… No…"

"Be grateful for what you've got then."

"Okay…"

_I rather agree with her, but Francesca is still a kid, and she needs nutrients to grow… Ugh… What to do… I'll have two problems to tackle for the rest of the day…_

"Hey, Major, do you have any land vehicles I could use for trips to the city?" Toshiro asked.

"No… Oh, but wait, we seized a BMW R75 motorcycle with sidecar from Captain Yeager here. Since you are theoretically the boss here, I won't stop you. But you can only go alone."

"It would be preferred if I went alone… The sidecar space will prove valuable…"

"Hey, why isn't anyone asking me about permission?! It's my motorcycle for fucks sake!" Shirley suddenly exploded, garnering the surprised views of the gathered.

"You won't lend me your motorcycle, Shirley? Oh pleeeeaaaaseeee!"

"Of course I will…" Shirley pouted.

"Thanks! I'll even let you do the maintenance before I'll go tomorrow, what do you say?"

Her eyes sparkled immediately.

"You can count on me!"

_Shirley is such a simple and straightforward girl… If not for Yoshika, I would concentrate my efforts on her…_

"But what do you want to procure anyway, Edelweiss? You can only get food and shitty jewelry there." Keiko asked.

"Not your concern, Katou." Toshiro threw a verbal jab.

She looked at him with an angry look, but didn't say anything, and just walked out of the tent, leaving her empty plate.

"Well, that went surprisingly well…" Toshiro mumbled.

"With the Major out, can you tell US what you want to buy in Tobruk, Toshiro?" Raisa asked.

"Oh, I want to stock up on some private food reserves."

"But only two people have access to the pantry…"

"I have three choices then - procure a fridge, get a key of my own from Katou or… persuade the good Tina to let Matilda open the door up when I please."

Matilda and Tina looked at him, and the latter said, "I see no obstacles, Major. How about you, Matilda?"

"Whatever you say, mistress." She said with an indifferent voice.

_Show some backbone for crying out loud…_

"Then it's settled. Whenever you want access, just find Matilda. She's usually in my tent, serving me or lying down in her bed." Tina said.

"Okay, thanks Tina." Toshiro said with a little smile on his face. "Well now, time to let some juice flow into my tent…" He said and stood up. "Thanks for the soup, Mami. Maybe I should skip supper though…"

"Huh? Why is that?"

"Because if breakfast was good, the dinner even better, so I thought that I'll go to heaven after eating supper, heh…"

Mami's face became red after Toshiro's words.

"Oh come on, Toshiro… It wasn't that good…"

"Well okay then, my girlfriend cooks better than you!"

"OOOOOH! What an insult!" Mami shouted furiously, but calmed down after a deep breath. "Do… Do you really think so?" She asked shyly.

"As her boyfriend, I'm probably obliged to tell some white lies about her but… I could probably say that you are both equally skilled. Right, Shirley, Francesca?"

"To be honest, I fully back Toshiro's judgment." Shirley said. "Your menu is different, but the overall quality is very similar."

"Yes…" Francesca said making an intelligent face. "Both Shirley and Toshiro are right. But I still want seconds…" She ended her sentence in a beggars tone.

The girls laughed heartily, even Matilda put on a small smile.

"Okay, it's time for me." Toshiro said.

"Oh, wait, I want to help!" Shirley said with gleaming eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, come on you tech freak."

Once in Toshiro's tent, Shirley connected an isolated cable to the auto switch on the top of the radio rack. Toshiro slipped the cable outside the same way as the antenna wire. While he was doing that, Shirley already connected another wire, this time to the telephone and telegraph, and Toshiro pulled that one out too. He took a pair of pliers with him, and went out.

Toshiro pulled the wire and cable to the pole from which the telephone wire went to the Keiko's tent, and from which the power line was forked. This time climbing was easier that with the barren antenna pole, because this one was wooden and had metal pegs sticking out every forty centimeters on both sides.

Connecting the phone wire was a piece of cake, but when Toshiro was about to toy around with the power cable, Shirley called him.

"Heeee, Toshiroooo! You don't have rubber gloves! You'll get zapped!" She shouted while waving a her hand with a rubber glove in it.

"Don't worry, I got it under… WAAAAH!"

Toshiro felt an intense heat traveling through his body, and the next he knew, he landed on the sand of the nearby dune under his back.

"What… the… fuck…" He muttered to himself.

"Toshiro! Toshirooo!" Shirley's shouted from his left.

As he turned his head in that direction, he saw the buxom redhead running to him up the dune, with her breasts shaking wildly.

_"I can die now…"_

_"Hentaishiro…"_

"Toshiro, are you okay?" Shirley said when she approached him.

"Yeah, probably… What happened?"

"From what I could see, you touched the power line with the pliers and… you had a free trip down here..."

"Oh… Well, that was surely a unique experience…"

"Dumbass… I was worried about you…"

"Don't worry, after my training I'm harder than steel…" Toshiro said while standing up. "And besides, I landed on sand."

"Still worried…" Shirley pouted.

"What? Should I kiss you or something?"

"Eheheh…" Shirley blushed. "As much as I would like it, Yuki would probably flip a lid… I guess what happened during that night won't return…" She said with a concerned face. "But I have to thank you, Toshiro. Thank you for taking my virginity… Now I don't have lewd thoughts anymore, and can focus solely on flying."

"Wait a minute… You say that me deflowering you… improved your combat concentration?"

"Yeah, sort of… Before you came, I had all those randy thoughts, even during combat… You could say you cured me of pervertitis, heehee…"

"Now if only somebody cured me, hah!"

"You didn't do it yet with Yoshika, huh?"

"And why are you asking that?"

"Oh, just curious…"

"No, I didn't… Still waiting for her to make the first move… But after we got back from Britannia, we started getting more intimate… Kissing… Sleeping with each other…"

"My, my… And with me, you fucked me raw just like that…"

Toshiro looked at her as if she was some sort Jehovah witness standing on his doorstep, wanting to talk about Jesus.

"Don't make such a face, I'm kidding… Do you actually remember what happened back then? I still can't piece it together…"

"Like as if it was yesterday… It began with…"

Toshiro started telling her what happened, from her entering the room, through all the intrinsic details of their intercourse, up to her exiting the room.

She slapped her forehead with her open palm once Toshiro finished.

"Ugh… I had to be slammed like a skunk… Thanks for telling me all the… details…"

"If it makes you sleep better… Now, I have to go back on that pole…"

"Wear this glove, god damn you!"

"Sure, sure…"

He took the glove and put it on his right hand. This time, he wasn't shocked.

After dropping down, he followed the ecstatic Shirley inside the tent.

"Okay, Shirley, do the honors." Toshiro said.

Francesca started watching the scene from her bed.

Shirley flipped the breaker on the auto switch, and then turned on the power on the dashboard. The faint sound of static filled the air.

"Weeeeeeeee! It works! Now we have to do the wire work for the rest of the appliances!" She shouted cheerfully.

Toshiro was about to say something, but was brutally interrupted.

"Ah, no! You lie down, Toshiro, I'll do everything by myself! Just give me back the glove."

"Okay…"

He gave back the glove to her, and lied down on his bed.

While Shirley was cutting and placing cables, Lucchini asked him, "Hey, Toshiro, about those food reserves you were talking about…"

"What is it, Franny?"

"Mwuuuh, you called me Franny, I like it! But anyway…"

"I wanted to keep it a secret, but since you pulled out the topic… I wanted to buy food so we have some snacks to eat for our own, especially for you, since you are still during a growth spurt."

"Reaaaaalllly?! Awwwwww, Toshiro!" She pounced and hung on his neck. "You want my boobs to grow, right?" She whispered to his ear.

_What…_

"Francesca… I wanted your whole body to grow, you pipsqueak boob demon."

"Heehee… Thanks for caring about us, who knows what we would have to do if we stayed here on their terms…"

"Hey, Toshiro, I'm turning the DeKaTe on!" Shirley interrupted their conversation.

She turned the dials, and soon, 'Lili Marlene', sung by Marlene Dietrich, flowed out of the speaker of the radio.

After hearing it through in complete silence, the three of them came to one conclusion.

"Minna sung it better!" They shouted in unison and laughed.

"Okay, now I only have to make the lamps work…" Shirley said and got back to work.

Toshiro just laid back and took a brief nap.

He felt poking in his rib, so be opened his eye, just to be blinded by some strong light.

"As you see, the lamps work!" Shirley said with pride.

"And your brain seems to have shut down…" Toshiro said with pain in his voice. "Shining someone who just awoke with a 60 Watt light bulb in the eyes isn't the brightest idea…"

"O… Heheh…" Shirley giggled neurotically and turned the lamp off. "The one on your desk also works, as well as the hanging one."

"Thanks for everything, Shirley."

"No problem, Toshiro. It's the least I can do to repay you for taking care of me and Lucchini…"

"Fair enough… What should we do till supper?" Toshiro asked.

"Let's just listen to some music. But I'll change the station, this one sucks…"

She went up to the radio, and started turning on the dial until she hear something.

"This is NBC and now let's hear to one of the latest hits of Frank Sinatra - I Dream of You"

**You're completely unaware, dear**

**That my heart is in your hand**

**So for loves sake**

**Won't you listen**

**And try to understand**

**I dream of you more than you dream**

**I do…**

Shirley was completely mesmerized by the song, with her eyes moistening.

"Hey, Shirley, what is it?" Toshiro asked.

"Oh… It's just that… I haven't heard Liberian music for so long… And how in hell did we catch NBC here?"

Toshiro looked at the radio, and saw that it was connected to the FuG 10 rack.

"Maybe because you used the external antenna? That thing is quite powerful you know..."

"Oh, heh… I must have connected it by accident…"

"Don't worry about it now, let's just lay back and listen.

And that was what they did. The three of them listened to the radio, changing between stations right up to supper.

"Ohayou!" Mami entered the tent suddenly. "It's supper time! We have bacon, toast and eggs!"

"Is it already that late, Mami?" Toshiro asked.

"Puh, don't tell me you were listening to the radio right from dinner?"

The three in question made such faces that words were unnecessary.

"Wow… You really know how to procrastinate… Come on, or the food will get cold."

"Coming, cousin dearest."

"Heehee…"

The supper went on surprisingly quiet and smooth. Everyone was praising Mami for her cooking, and nobody asked anyone about anything. Except for Furuko.

"Um… Major…" Furuko asked Toshiro.

"What is it, Sergeant?"

"Can we skip our… meeting today?"

"Sure. But why?"

"I'm not in the mood…"

"Don't force yourself, Sergeant."

"Yes sir…"

After supper, Toshiro, Shirley and Francesca went to their tent, and listened to music until 2200, when Keiko came in.

"Okay you party lovers, blackout time. Can that radio, turn of the lights and go to sleep."

"Yes ma'am." Shirley and Francesca responded timidly.

Keiko's and Toshiro's eyes met, and one could literally feel the tension coming from her.

She went out of the tent, and Shirley turned of everything.

"Goodnight you two." She said.

"Goodnight." They responded.

Toshiro slept peacefully, but in the middle of the night, he heard a faint but familiar voice coming from his transponder.

"H-h-help… Anyone… H-help…"

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	20. Chapter 20 – Bipolar

Chapter 20 – Bipolar

"Major? Is that you?" Toshiro whispered through the transponder.

"Edelweiss… Oh gods… Please… Help me…."

"What's happening?"

"Come to my tent immediately… Please…"

"I don't feel like it…"

"Toshiro… I beg you…"

"Oh all right…"

Toshiro dropped from his bed and both silently and nonchalantly walked up to the flap of Keiko's tent.

_Hmmm… Since she knows I'm coming, I'll just go in…_

He entered her tent, and saw a most bizarre sight.

Keiko was lying on her bed, with her haori undone, showing some of her breasts and flat stomach. In that gap, two little arachnids, not more than six centimeters were slowly walking up to Keiko's head.

"Keiko, what the hell?" Toshiro whispered.

"Get… them… off… scorpions… please…" She said slowly with terror in her eyes.

_Scorpions! I heard about the little buggers, very nasty… The smaller they… Oh shit, they are SMALL…_

"I don't think you deserve being saved, Major…"

The reaction to his words was that her lower lip started trembling and tears started gushing from her eyes.

"Oh okay…"

Toshiro summoned his sword, and with a swift cut he de-stingered both the scorpions. Watching them trying to sting Keiko without their stingers was hilarious, but Toshiro just grabbed them by their mutilated tails, went out of the tent and threw them so hard that they probably landed somewhere in the Baltic Sea.

When he got back in, Keiko was already sitting on the edge of her bed, sobbing slightly. As Toshiro approached her, she shyly patted the spot next to her.

As Toshiro sat beside her, he was immediately hugged by Keiko. She tucked her head against his chest and started weeping.

_"What should I do now, Yuki?"_

_"As long as it's not consolation sex, I don't care."_

Thus, Toshiro started to slowly stroke Keiko's head and sing.

**Nennen korori yo, Okorori yo. (Hushabye, Hushabye!)**

**Bōya wa yoi ko da, Nenne shina~ (My good Baby, Sleep!)**

**Bōya no omori wa, Doko e itta? (Where did my boy's baby-sitter go?)**

**Ano yama koete, Sato e itta. (Beyond that mountain, back to her home.)**

**Sato no miyage ni, Nani morotta? (As a souvenir from her home, what did you get?)**

**Denden taiko ni, Shō no fue. (A toy drum and a shō flute.)**

"The Edo lullaby… How long has it been since I've heard it…" Keiko said in a dreamy voice.

"I've heard it for the first time over seventeen years ago…"

"You… You remember your infancy?" She asked surprised.

"Like no other man on Earth… Want to hear the story behind it?"

"Sure…"

"So… When I was in the middle of my training period, I suddenly thought of my late mother. And what struck me was the fact, that I couldn't portray her face… I simply couldn't… I just broke down on my knees and cried like a baby… Seeing that, the goddess approached me, and gave me one of the best gifts I could ever receive… She rekindled and reinforced all my memories of mother… If I concentrate, I can view them like a movie, but with all sounds, color, texture… When I started looking through them, I cried again, even more intensively…"

"My… Wait, a goddess?"

"Oh right, you couldn't possibly know… I'm the champion of Amaterasu, and my familiar, Yuki, is her personal pet."

"Uhhhh…"

"Hard to believe?"

"Kind of… But I suppose I should believe you, seeing that sword, your abilities… Just incredible…"

"Are you all right now?"

"Yes… But I never was so terrified in my whole life… I fought countless Neuroi, even without my shield, but I was just powerless in that situation…"

"Were those scorpions really that dangerous? I mean I've heard that supposedly the smaller the scorpion, the deadlier the venom."

"It's true… Those were deathstalkers, one of the deadliest species… One sting could kill a horse, but two? I would die before you would even put on your Striker to get me to the hospital… Thank you, Toshiro…"

"Now we are on first names? After all those fits?"

"I'm sorry for being such a bitch back then… It's just that… You appeared so suddenly with all that authority, you took away our two girls doing our dirty work; they even got pardoned and officially joined the 31st… You basically turned my peaceful world upside down…"

"Believe me, Keiko, I didn't want this… But I suppose one should try everything, right? I promise I will not interfere with your work. I will only do it when it's really necessary, and believe me, I will know when."

A smile appeared on Keiko's face.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm already very fond of my girls, and I wouldn't want some revolution here…"

"Hmmm… You know what?"

"Huh?"

"I had an ancestor named Keiko; she looked almost like you…"

"Heh… Fate has its ways of giving us signs… But how to decipher them is a true gift…"

"I suppose I should go, or somebody might think we are having a little tête-à-tête here…"

"And what the fuck does that concern them? We are their commanders, hahahah!"

"Hah… Yeah… Okay, I'm going now. I'll walk around the tent and see if there are any holes, okay?"

"Okay, have a good night."

"Night, Keiko, take care."

"You can call me Kei like the rest if you want…"

"Keiko is beautiful name, Kei sounds plebeian."

Toshiro walked out of the tent, into the cold desert night.

_"So, Yuki, how did I do?"_

_"Smooth as usual, you womanizer…"_

He walked around Keiko's tent, and saw a small hole dug in the sand.

_So that's how the scorpions got in…_

He made a small sand mound over the hole, and decided to inspect the rest of the tents. The result was that no more holes were found, so he returned to bed, sleeping like a log for the rest of the night.

He woke up early in the morning as usual. Despite having separate beds, he saw Francesca sleeping rolled up like a cat on Shirley, with her head resting on the honorary position.

Once outside, Toshiro saw Matilda waiting for him.

"Running again today, are we, Toshiro?"

"Verily, Matilda, let's go."

They started jogging while the sun started shyly lighting up the horizon. When they ended, Matilda led Toshiro for a sip of cold milk from the pantry. While he was drinking it, she asked him, "I sensed some disturbance in the night, Toshiro. Do you know what happened by chance?"

Toshiro finished drinking, wiped his lips and answered.

"Keiko was attacked by two scorpions in her bed. Little yellow ones, deathstalkers she called them."

Matilda's eyes widened slightly and she said, "Well… Certainly, you did a good deed saving her… How did you get to know she was in peril?"

"I never remove my transponder, even when I sleep. I heard her faint cry for help in the middle of the night... It's admirable that she even could squeeze out so much, given the fact that the scorpions were on her chest…"

"Yes…"

"And it seems she opened up a bit towards me…" Toshiro said with a sigh.

"You should be happy, no?"

"Probably… But I don't know if it will last… Maybe it was just a phase, a temporal fissure in her emotional armor…"

"Why don't you test it right now?" She whispered. "She's coming to us."

Toshiro slowly turned around and saw Keiko coming up to them with messy hair and a sleepy expression, holding a glass.

"Heeeewaaaaaahh…" She yawned. "Sorry… I couldn't sleep anyway..."

"And good morning to you, Keiko." Toshiro said with a wide grin.

"Good morning." Matilda said calmly.

"Can I get a glass of milk?" She said with a sleepy voice and extended the arm with the glass to Matilda.

Matilda took the glass silently, and filled it with cold milk. Keiko took it from her, and drank it in one go.

"Whooo… That was good…"

"So how are you today, Keiko?" Toshiro asked.

"Besides being sleepy? Fine… But you are probably asking if what happened in the night is permanent?"

"Pretty much yes…"

"Heh… Don't worry, Toshiro, my attitude towards you changed for good. I even have a gift of good will with me..." She said and pulled out something from under her haori. "It's the spare key to the pantry, you can have it." After saying that she threw it too him. "But don't let that little Romagnan glutton get inside, or we will have a problem…"

"I'm glad that you put so much responsibility in my hands…"

"You should take care of your friends, as well as us…" She said with a slight blush.

"And why do you put a line between Shirley and Francesca and the 31st? Who said that you aren't my friends?"

"R-really? You treat us as…" Keiko shyly asked.

"Well, not all of you… The hair fetish Sergeant seems to be a bit reluctant in my proximity, and Tina isn't quite broken in yet, but the rest of you, yes, you are my friends, regardless of rank and nationality."

"Heh… I'm happy to have more friends from Fuso here… I don't keep contact with my compatriots back home…"

"You are wrong on account of my nationality, Keiko. I'm no longer a Fusojin, I'm a Karlslander."

"Oh? So that's why you are in the Wehrmacht, and have that last name…"

"Don't worry, Keiko, I'm still a Fusojin at heart, although I have to start adapting to my new nationality. I speak the language, and don't exactly look Asian, so I have it downhill already, heh…"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How is Mio going?"

"Ruthless when on duty, a true buddy when off, but that happens once in a blue moon, since she treats her whole life as a fight. Unfortunately, her shield is only a decoration right now; it can't even stop a 9mm bullet… But she is as stubborn as a pack of mules, and she still wants to fight."

"Whole Little Mio… Kitagou did an excellent job training her it seems… And about the shield, I know the feeling. I'm 25 years old already; I can't even pull up my shield anymore." She made a pause and said, "But I learned to be useful in other ways. First, I made a trip here, as a photograph, to take an interview with Hanna. I got so inspired by her and the whole crew here that I returned soon afterwards, to serve in combat… And after a while, I got promoted to Major, and took command of the 31st."

"A nice story, Keiko… So that's what the camera hanging over your bed was for?"

"Yes, I made my photo's with it back then, but now I do aerial reconnaissance with it. It works surprisingly well in that role."

"What about night patrols? Do you do any here?"

"Another unit does that for us, they have equipment for that."

"Night vision goggles?"

"How do you know?"

"I made the prototype out of a part from my cannon, some scrap metal and a strap, heh… It was crude, but it worked."

"You sure are a crafty guy… Say… Is there a chance you could adapt it as a lens to my Leica?"

"Give me the tools, and I'm sure I can do something. With some luck, I could do it in a few hours… However, I see a little hindrance…"

"What is it?"

"Your viewfinder or you yourself won't have night vision. And I don't know how the optical parameters of both will cooperate…"

"Oh bother…"

"Yeah… I would probably tinker with it, but not now, I'll be going to the city after breakfast."

"What for?"

"Hah… Not your damn business!"

"Oh come on!"

"Okay, okay… I'm procuring some food for me and my tent mates, so the little glutton Francesca can have some snacks during the day. She also needs the nutrients, since she's growing."

"How nice of you. Can I also request something?"

"Fire away."

"Fresh fish. Get me about five kilograms of fresh fish, in ice. I want to make sushi for everyone."

"You can cook?"

"Barely… But sushi is my pride!"

"I should hook you up with my girlfriend; she would probably make you a master chef, heh…"

"How old is she?"

"Fifteen."

"I feel old…"

"Heh… So, nice bit of small talk we had, right, Matilda?" Toshiro said with a sly smile.

"Yes you had… Don't look at me; I don't have much to talk about."

"To each his own." Toshiro said. "Okay, time to lie down until breakfast. Till later, you two."

"Later." The two girls responded.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	21. Chapter 21 - Before the trip

Chapter 21 – Before the trip

When Toshiro entered the tent, Shirley was already opening her eyes.

"Gwaaaaaaah… Morning, Toshiro."

"Hello, Shirley. Are you comfortable with that little rascal sleeping on you each night?"

"Yeeeah… I don't mind her… There's a mutual benefit for it - we both heat each other in the night. And her boob urges get quenched…" Saying that, Shirley stroked the head of Francesca, who purred like a cat. "Where were you by the way?"

"Oh, I'm holding to my tradition of morning jogging. Want to join me?"

"Nooooo… I'm half-dead even now, and it's what, past six?"

"Yeah. I sort of don't see you running to be honest…"

"Huh? What do you mean? Remember when we ran to the hangar from the beach?"

"I don't mean your speed, that's that, but… you are kind of distracting while running…"

"I don't know what…" She paused for a second and looked at him with her eyes squinted. "Oh you… perv you!"

"Huh, whaaaat…" Francesca raised her head in confusion. "Oh, good morning you two… What's up?"

"Morning, Francesca. We were just discussing the physics of Shirley's boobs."

"Oh! A very good topic indeed, heehee!"

"You two will be the death of me someday…" Shirley sighed and slammed her head back down on her pillow.

"Anyway, Shirley, remember what we were talking about at dinner yesterday?"

"Ummm… Ah, yes, my motorcycle! I'll get it ready after breakfast, okay?"

"Sure, thanks, I'll even help you."

"You think you can do it?"

"Are you underestimating me? An engine is an engine. I've been taught to service air-cooled, water-cooled, petrol, diesel and electric engines. And you already saw what I did to your magic engine, right?"

"Then why don't you do it yourself…" Shirley puffed her cheeks.

"I want you to have something to do, besides of lying on the bed and listening to the radio. I can lift the ban off the dirty work for you, if you so please…"

Shirley looked at Francesca, and Francesca looked back at Shirley. They both nodded to each other and Shirley said, "Please do, because, to be honest, we are dying of boredom right now… Earlier we didn't want to do the chores, because we were forced, but now that we have our freedom, we have nothing to do, and Lucchini and me came to a conclusion that we want to help the girls here… And frankly speaking, the dung from Marseille's cow is starting to give of a rather strong aroma now…"

"And I stood up for you so you won't have to do this shit… Well okay, you can do whatever you like; just don't go AWOL from the base, okay?"

"We promise!" They both said in unison.

"Good… I wouldn't want to court martial you two… So, let's go to the dining tent and wait for breakfast, huh?"

"Can't we just stay here and listen to the radio?" Shirley asked.

"We could… But turn down the volume, people are sleeping, and the tent's fabric isn't exactly soundproof…"

"Roger!"

Shirley ran up to the radio, turned down the volume to about ten percent and turned it on. They listened to it, until Toshiro heard a sound of knocking on wood outside. The sound repeated itself a few times, after which Mami went in.

"Hey, no sense in hanging that piece of wood if nobody answers!"

"What piece of wood?" Toshiro asked surprised.

"The same one that Kei has, stupid. You copied that from her?"

"Huh?"

Mami looked at Toshiro as if he was an idiot.

"Seriously, are you stoned or what? There's the same piece of wood like at Kei's tent, dangling at your tents entrance."

"First I heard of it…"

"Cousin… Did you perhaps get on Kei's good side?"

"Mmmmmyeeaah…" Toshiro answered.

"Huh? When was that? During supper, she still looked at you as if you were some rapist in chains, and I doubt you met her in the morning so… No way! Oh no! You didn't!"

"Mami, what are you implying, cousin dearest? That I went and…" Toshiro trusted his right fist forward under his left forearm. "Yuki would probably render me unconscious before I would get horny, hah!"

"I confirm I would do exactly that." Yuki said through Toshiro.

Mami got a bit creeped off, but she regained her composure quickly.

"I'm still not used to that Yuki of yours, especially after that little fallout we had, hehe… But anyway, what happened then, Toshiro?"

"Two deathstalker scorpions attacked her in the bed, I saved her, something apparently broke in her and now she's 'normal'. She even gave me this an hour ago or so." Toshiro showed the pantry key to everyone and hid it afterwards.

"Woah! Now that's something! Thanks for saving her, cousin; Kei really means something to me…" She paused and looked at Toshiro. "But not in the way you could think!"

"I wouldn't have anything against it, Mami. Really, we had a pair of… alternative sexuality… in the 501st, fine with us… Right, Shirley, Francesca?"

"Yeah, it didn't bother us that Eila and Sanya were being a bit too affectionate with each other, heh…" Shirley answered a bit flustered.

Mami was already red as a summer sunset, but she somehow didn't explode or run away yet.

Toshiro approached her, kneeled before her and patted Mami on the head.

"If you have any problems, you can always come to me. If I won't help you, Shirley or Francesca can, they eat three daily meals coming from you, right guys?"

"Sure, sure…" Shirley muttered. "But we haven't been officially acquainted yet if I remember correctly. Well, Lucchini got to grab her breasts, but that hardly counts…"

Mami put a smile on her face and went to the two. She extended her hand and said, "Mami Inagaki, pleased to meet you."

"Charlotte E. Yeager, but I prefer Shirley. Charlotte makes me think of some grandma sitting on a porch in the middle of the bayou…"

Mami giggled slightly at that remark. Francesca got of her bed and said, "Francesca Lucchini, pleased to meet you… again, heehee."

"Maybe I should grope you now in exchange?"

"WAAAAH!" Francesca shouted and jumped behind Shirley.

The rest had a brief laugh from Francesca's reaction.

"You are really a neat bunch." Mami said while laughing. "But anyway, come on, breakfast will be soon. Today I decided to do - hold tight - Schnitzel with mashed potatoes and Sauerkraut!"

The mouths of Toshiro, Shirley and Francesca opened wide as they started drooling uncontrollably.

"Judging by your reactions, I would guess you'll like it…" Mami said with a wry smile.

"For the time I spent in the transport plane, I only had beef jerky and fucking crackers…" Toshiro said.

"And you didn't exactly treat us like royalty because of the lack of higher quality supplies…" Shirley muttered.

"I'm sorry, but what was I supposed to do with only potatoes and carrots? Everyone got the same food, so you weren't treated differently." Mami responded calmly.

"Shiiiiirleeeey, I want to eaaat!" Francesca shouted childishly.

"Okay, okay, we're going."

The four of them exited the tent, and everyone looked at the piece of wood hanging at the entrance. It was an exact copy of the one which hung at Keiko's tent. After looking at it, they went to the dining tent.

All the witches were sitting at the tables, except for Raisa, who was standing at the kitchen table and slamming the beef with a tenderizer. The magnificent scent of fried meat was filling the whole tent, much to the pleasure of the gathered.

"Mami, for crying out loud, what took you so long?! I had to tenderize all the beef myself!"

"Ugh, I'm sorry, Rai… I had a little conversation with Toshiro and the girls…"

"Well, whatever… Help me here, or Kingdom Come will greet us before we eat..."

Mami rushed to help Raisa, and Toshiro with his companions took seats.

Francesca and Shirley sat on the end with Matilda, and Toshiro took a spot between Keiko and Tina.

"How's life, girls?" Toshiro asked.

"Fine on my end, nothing to complain about. Well, actually, I need somebody to clean the cow's pen, and since you banned the two doing it usually…" Tina answered.

"Don't worry, Marseille, we can do it for you, for old times' sake, hehehehe… But it will cost ya…" Shirley said with a wry smile.

"Oh really now? What's your price?"

"I've heard from reliable sources that you are stockpiling chocolate and coffee, the good sort. Give us one bar and one packet respectively, and we'll shovel shit for you today."

"Only one day? That is a robbery in broad daylight! Three times!"

"Two and I won't go lower! And I already know that Matilda won't touch that dung for whatever riches of this world, right, Matilda?"

Matilda nodded affirmatively.

"Mistress would have to give me twice what the two here want, I know my worth."

With a disgruntled voice and after a heavy sigh, Tina said, "Okay… A bar of chocolate and pack of coffee for two times of shit flinging…"

Francesca and Shirley high-fived, and then Keiko asked Toshiro, "Hey, Toshiro, how do you like your new decoration on the tent?"

"Simple and functional, just the way I like. Thanks, Keiko."

"No problem, I have a few spares just in case, and since you are a big figure here, I assumed you don't like to be disturbed out of the blue."

"Would you see how many times my door was knocked in the Folkestone castle, dear gods… I would probably have scuffmarks on it by the end of the year, if not for the fact I broke the aforementioned door with a soldier, heh…"

"Huh, scuffmarks? And how did you break it?"

"Well, you see, because of my good nature and helpful disposition, the girls always asked me for advice on various problems." Toshiro turned his head to the rest. "Oh, and while I remember: all of you can come to me if you have a problem. I will be glad to help if it's not anything impossible." He turned his head back to Keiko. "About the door… You see, there was a coup de d'état of our base, maybe you've heard of it?"

"Hmmm… Ah yes, some Maloney guy. There was a big article in the newspaper. So, what was it about?" Keiko asked.

"I snuck back into the base, and got into my room through the skylight. However, a guard was standing just before my door in the corridor, so I pierced it with my fists, grabbed the guard and yanked him inside the room."

"Impressive…" Tina said with appreciation.

"Hey, don't cut in!" Keiko shouted.

"Okay, okay…"

"So anyway…" Toshiro said. "I'm going to Tobruk, and I'm willing to take orders for whatever I can acquire there. Just remember that I only have a sidecar as a storage compartment, so unless you fit me with a backpack, I have rather limited space."

"I already told you what I want." Keiko said and winked.

"Hey, Major, I would like you to get me apple tobacco." Tina said.

"Huh? You smoke, Tina?"

"Well, I must admit that if I won't take a puff from my shisha, I can't sleep at night. But I'm not a chain smoker, don't worry. I know that I must keep my body fit for combat."

"Fair enough… Anyone else want something?"

"Get me a good whetstone and an even better meat cleaver, cousin."

"You want to slaughter Tina's cow?" Toshiro said with a demonic smile.

"Yes." Mami said with an emotionless monotone voice, with her eyes losing all their color.

"HEY! Nobody will touch Heidi when I'm around!" Tina protested aloud.

"Guhehehehe, I have you there, Marseille… But seriously, get me those if you can, chopping up slabs of meat with bones is heavy as it is with this crap knife of mine."

"Will do, Mami. Next? Matilda? Want something?"

"I don't think I need worldly possessions… Although… If you could get me some good books, I would be grateful."

"You know what? I will get a metric assload of books, since I also need something to read. Anybody else need something?"

"Ummmm… Major… If you could get me a good comb… Mine broke…" Furuko asked shyly.

"Only a comb? Nothing flashier?"

"No…"

"Well okay. And you, Raisa, need anything in particular?"

"No, I don't think so… Oh, wait, if you could get me a deck of cards…"

"Cards? I can't believe there are no cards here…"

"I can explain... Some time ago, we played strip poker amongst us, and the girls plotted against me, stripping me right to my birthday suit… So I got pissed off, and destroyed all card decks in the base… I also instated a ban, which I lifted a few days ago, but nobody got to buy a new deck…" Keiko confessed.

"The fuck… Well, anyway, since you all placed your orders… It's time to pay up!" Toshiro said confidently and extended his hand.

They all looked at him as is they were small kittens.

"Are you all fucking kidding me? You are ALL broke?!"

"Well, not all, but… All of us chipped in to pay for the goods in the transport you brought and… heheh… payday will be in a few days so…" Keiko explained.

"Uggggghhh… Good that I'm a walking money sack right now… Fine, I will pay for all of you, but if you forget to reimburse me… Well, let's say that strip poker as an excuse won't be needed…. He…he…he…"

They all looked with terror at him, and immediately nodded their heads violently.

"Good. Now, Raisa, Mami, how is it going?"

"A few minutes, and we're go!"

After said few minutes, breakfast was served. Everyone was in gastronomic heaven right now, and Francesca even got small seconds.

"Well, I'm full." Toshiro said. "Thank you for the meal, Mami, Raisa. Now I have to go with Shirley and prepare the motorcycle."

"Oh, wait a second." Keiko said. "Here's the key for the padlock, we had the motorcycle chained down…" She said and threw him a small key. "And uhm… we drained the gasoline, and buried in a canister in the corner of the shed under a crate with 7.62 ammunition…"

"You really wanted for the two to stay, huh?" Toshiro asked with a dry voice.

"He…Heh…"

"Thanks for the heads up. Now, Shirley, let's go."

The two of them, with Francesca tagging along, went to the large shed in which Strikers, weapons and various hardware was stored. He saw his cannon lying on a few crates, his Striker on a wooden rack and the MG hanging on its strap, together with the FFG.

Shirley's motorcycle was indeed chained down to concrete blocks, which a witch without Super Strength powers wouldn't even budge.

"My poor R75… Chained down like some beast…" Shirley said almost crying.

Toshiro approached the chains, found the padlock and opened it with the key, releasing the motorcycle from its shackles.

Shirley immediately grabbed the handlebar and pushed it outside the shed.

"AAAARGH! It's so dirty! Toshiro, throw me a rag, so I can at least get the dust off."

Toshiro found a rag that wasn't dirty from oil and threw it to Shirley. She grabbed it midair and started cleaning the motorcycle.

"Now to dig up that fuel can…" Toshiro muttered.

"Oh, I can do that!" Francesca said lively. "Just show me where to dig!"

Toshiro looked around, and saw the place mentioned by Keiko: a corner, in which a crate with 7.62 ammunition was standing alone.

"Come here, Francesca." He said while lifting the crate. "Dig here, but I'll have to find you…"

She ran up to the spot and started digging a hole with her bare hands.

_What enthusiasm…_

After not more than a minute, she pulled out the fuel can, and raised it triumphantly over her head.

"Ta da!"

"Heh, not bad, Francesca. Now gimme, I want to fill the fuel tank."

"Nu-uh…" She pouted and embraced the can.

"Oh? You want to do it by yourself?"

"Yes! Shirley always let me when we were traveling!"

"As you wish."

She ran off to Shirley and said, "Hey, Shirley! I got some gas!"

"Good job, Lucchini! How much?"

Francesca shook the canister with a concentrated expression and answered, "Half full."

"Pssshh, we could make a trip to Egypt with so much juice! Okay, pour it in."

Francesca unscrewed the fuel cap, poured the gasoline into the tanks and screwed the cap back on.

"Good… Okay, I think you are ready to go, Toshiro. Want to have a test ride to the center of the base?"

"Of course I want!"

"Then come over here, I have to show you all the stuff."

Toshiro neared himself to the motorcycle and Shirley started showing him all the necessary levers and thingamajigs.

"So here's the kickstarter… The clutch… Gear change is here… Choke there… I think you know how to accelerate, break and change gears, right?"

"I know how to drive a Rikuo Type 97, which is basically a licensed and improved copy of the Harley-Davidson Road King with sidecar attached."

"Well, not bad! Okay, fire it up and give us a ride!"

"Yaaaay, ride!"

Toshiro shifted the gear into neutral, enabled the choke, unfolded the kickstarter lever and hammered it hard with his foot. The 745cc twin cylinder engine rumbled and went into idle like a charm.

"See, Toshiro? That how a machine repays you for treating it correctly."

He jumped on the motorcycle, with Francesca positioning herself in the sidecar, and Shirley sitting behind him, and grabbing him in the waist from behind.

_Gods, Shirley… Why do you have to have to cling to me like that…_

Toshiro turned off the choke, shifted into first gear and cranked the accelerator to the max. Although they were fully loaded, it took not more than half minute to arrive at the base center.

"Weeeee! Once more!" Francesca cheered.

"Not now, Lucchini, Toshiro has to go to the city."

"Awkay…" The little Romagnan answered with a disappointed look.

"Oh, wait a second, Toshiro, I have to give you something." Shirley said and went into their tent, with Francesca following her.

"I see that you are ready?" Keiko's voice was heard from behind him.

He turned his head back, and saw Keiko with a big backpack.

"This is for you, so you can buy as much stuff as you can." She said and threw him the backpack.

"Thanks!"

Shirley ran out of the tent with something in her hand.

"Here, my Halcyon Mark 4 Racing Special goggles. Don't lose them, or scratch them, or I will maim you! These are not produced anymore!"

Toshiro took the goggles, and put them on.

"Don't worry, Shirley, I'll treat them as my own. So… Bye now, see you later!"

Toshiro revved the engine and went off in the direction of Tobruk.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	22. Chapter 22 – Tobruk Torment

Chapter 22 – Tobruk Torment

Toshiro blazed across the sandy road in the direction of Tobruk, passing by Furuko's post. The motorcycle's engine was rambling in a steady rhythm, almost putting him to sleep. He approached was approaching the outskirts of the small port city, surrounded by trenches, barbed wire and gun emplacements. There was also a fortified airstrip to the south-west of town. The road before him turned into a serpentine, and he entered the city itself.

The buildings were all looking as if they were built at the same time, by the same construction company. They were all white, rectangular and either one or two stories high. The only buildings that were standing out, was a church, the residence in which Toshiro met Rommel and few forts. Tobruk was a Romagnan military port up to the outbreak of the Second Neuroi War, but now, every military from the world was gathered here. The most of the people living here were soldiers, but there were also many civilians from both Cyrenaica and Egypt, doing small business.

_I don't really know my way around here, besides two or three roads… Maybe I should ask the Generalfeldmarschall about directions…Worth a try…_

He had drove up to the residence, and was halted by the guard.

"Remove the goggles, Herr Major."

Toshiro took off his goggles, so the guard could look at him. It was the same fellow, which was here a few days ago.

"Ah, it's you, Major Edelweiss. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to visit the Generalfeldmarschall to ask for directions."

"That won't do, Herr Major. He's out with his panzer battalion. But I can give you directions myself."

"Well, okay then…"

Toshiro asked where he could get the items he needs to procure. The guard listened carefully, nodded a few times and said, "Most of it you can get in the port surplus goods shop. The rest you can get from the autochthons at the bazaar, Herr Major. You can find them…" The guard started describing the locations of the aforementioned places.

"You have been a great help for me, Obergefreiter. I'll whisper a word to the proper ear when I get the occasion."

"Oh, I'm just doing my duty, Herr Major…"

"Then keep doing it! So long!"

Toshiro turned around and made his way to the bazaar, as the non-perishables were supposedly sold there. He passed by a big and luxurious hotel while he was at it.

_Wow… Such a luxurious palace in almost in the desert…_

When he crossed the corner of a certain street, he saw a small but lively bazaar before him.

Toshiro parked the motorcycle, and he was immediately approached by a small kid.

"Effendi, effendi! I'll guard your motorcycle!"

"What's an 'effendi'?"

"Mister!"

"Oh, now I understand. And how will the little you guard this big motorcycle? And before what?"

"I have the biggest respect on the street; I'll guard it with my authority!"

"I see…" Toshiro nodded. "And of course you would like to be compensated for the time you spend with my motorcycle?"

The little guy nodded. Toshiro pulled out his wallet, scoured out a shilling and gave it to him.

The child's eyes shined as he got the coin and he shouted, "Praise be Allah! Thank you, effendi! I will guard your motorcycle not only with my authority, but also with my life and honor."

"Don't need to go into extremities… I'll be back in an hour or so." He said and grabbed the backpack from the sidecar.

Toshiro went amongst the various small stands, and stopped before a one that had bowls of various incenses and tobacco. A very intense mixture of smells was drilling into his nose.

"Ah, a customer! What can I help you with, effendi?" A man in a red kufiya and grey thawb asked him.

"My good man, I seek the finest quality apple tobacco that you have for sale."

"Ah, effendi, you picked the right man for your endeavor." The man said with joy and pulled out a closed can from under the table. "This is the best I have, with a special bonus, but unfortunately, it's reserved… Of course for a small fee, I may forget that I have a reservation…"

"Huh? May I know for who?"

"The Star of Africa herself!" He said proudly.

"She didn't mention anything about reserved goods…"

"Pardon, effendi, but do you by chance know her?"

"I'm her unit supervisor since… 3 days?"

"Hmmmm… Pardon if I ask, but do you have some proof, effendi?"

Toshiro silently pulled out his military ID, in which his current affiliation was put down in a table, with an official stamp and Adolfine's signature, and passed it to the man.

He looked at it carefully, nodded a few times and gave Toshiro back his ID, which he put back into the wallet.

"Pardon is I ask again, but what does a Major and supervisor at the same time doing on a shopping trip?"

"Since I'm the only man, I thought I would provide for my girls, heheh…"

"Very noble of you, effendi… But you see, Miss Marseille didn't pay for the tobacco, so…" He paused and rubbed the three fingers of his hand in a well-known gesture.

"I see… How much?"

"One pound, effendi."

"A little steep, but…" Toshiro was rummaging through his coins when the man protested.

"No, no, effendi! That's not how we do business here!"

"How do you do business here then?"

"We haggle. It's an almost sacred tradition."

"Okay then… I'll give you ten shillings."

"Effendi… Do not offend me… This is top grade tobacco; I can't go less than eleven shilling and five pence."

"This crumbled weed? Give me a break, ten and four pence." Toshiro giving into the mood.

"I am truly saddened by the fact that you judge my wares so low… eleven shillings dead and I don't go a penny lower."

"And I won't go any higher than ten shilling and seven pence! This is the Star of Africa that will receive your tobacco!"

"Ah effendi… I see you are a fast learner… So be it, ten shillings and seven pence, and I'll throw in the tin as the special bonus." He passed on the tin to Toshiro.

"You wanted to charge me for the tin separately? What a country…" Toshiro said while grabbing the tin.

He stuffed it in the backpack and said:

"Goodbye."

"As-salam alaykum, effendi"

"Salami what?"

"As-salam alaykum, it's both a greeting and goodbye, effendi"

"As-salam alaykum then."

"Wa alaykumu s-salam, effendi"

"What now…"

"Wa alaykumu s-salam, this is the response, effendi."

"Oh you and you're different cultures… But thank you for teaching me this, it may be helpful…"

Toshiro went on further, until he found a stand with jewelry and all sort of shiny things on it. He meant to casually pass by, but something extraordinary caught his gaze. It was a comb, but not just any other comb. It was made of a brownish material, shining and translucent on the edges. The comb itself was lying in white box with many engravings, inlaid with a purple material, and with some black wood in the lid.

_"Beautiful… I may be a spirit, and a snake to boot, but I know when I see something exquisite… Toshiro, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

_"Actually… Yes…"_

Toshiro approached the man in the stand and greeted him:

"As-salam alaykum."

"Wa alaykumu s-salam, effendi. I see that something from my wares caught your eye, yes?"

"Correct. How much for the comb?"

"Ahhh, I thought so, effendi. I can part from it for only ten pounds or the equivalent in other currency."

"Ten pounds?! I don't see it being made of gold…"

"Close, effendi, but it's almost as valuable. The comb itself it made of tortoiseshell, acquired from Galapagos turtles. The outer part of the box is made of ivory, and the lid is made from nacre. The inner part of the box is made from ebony, and inlaid with the finest silk from Manchuria. Oh, and both are a package deal."

"How about I give you… Eight pounds?"

"Are you trying to mock me, effendi? This is a work of art, the best quality you can find around here. I won't go a penny off my price."

"Hmmm…" Toshiro looked around the merchants wares, and pointed to a necklace. "I'll buy the comb IF you throw in that necklace."

"That's a necklace made of nephrite with silver ornaments, I can't just 'throw it in', effendi."

"You would make me a big pleasure with this… And to a girl that I left in Fuso…"

"And who are you to… You look familiar, effendi… Did I meet you somewhere?"

"You may have seen my obituary in a newspaper."

"Yes… Yes… NO! This is the work of some shaitan! Begone!" The man shouted.

"I will be gone, after I pay you ten pounds for the comb, its box and the necklace." Toshiro said while pulling out the money.

"Fine, fine… Uhhh… I'm sorry for such an outburst, effendi, I didn't mean to offend you."

"What's a 'shaitan' actually?" Toshiro asked curiously.

"Long story short it's an evil spirit, effendi."

"Fair enough… Here's your money."

"Thank you, and may Allah have an eye on you."

"Thanks, but I already have a higher force watching upon me." Toshiro said and winked. "As-salam alaykum."

Toshiro packed the goods in the backpack and turned to another stand, which he saw before he approached this one. The next stand was full of hardware, knives, hammers, saws, and all looked handmade.

The merchant in the stand was a burly man, with wide arms and a European look to him. He was wearing a blacksmiths apron and a kufiya.

"Good morning." Toshiro said.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" The man responded with an unexpected helpfulness and soft voice.

"I'm looking for a whetstone and a good cleaver. Oh, and a good kitchen knife."

"Hmmm…" The man started rummaging through all his wares and pulled out a cleaver. "This is something for you, damascene steel, sharper than a sword."

"Want to take a bet? What's the current price on this one?"

"I'll let it loose for seven shilling. What kind of bet do you mean, stranger?"

"If I can cut something with my sword that you can't cut with your stuff, I get the cleaver for three shilling."

"But you don't have a sword, unless you stuck it up your ass, bwahahahaha!"

"If I can get a sword, will you accept the bet?"

"Sure, be my guest…"

Toshiro raised his hand and summoned his sword.

"Now, where were we?"

The man's jaw dropped wide open when he saw Aganaimaru.

"But that's cheating! That's a magical sword!"

"I said 'a sword', and I didn't specify what type of sword. Conversely, you did not ban any type of sword from the bet. So what, are we on, or are you forfeiting?"

"I feel cheated… But I should have known you were some kind of fruit, judging by that hair and those eyes… Whatever, you get the cleaver for 3 shilling… The whetstone is a shilling, and the knife is four shilling."

"I don't see a knife…" Toshiro said while dispelling his sword.

"Right, I didnd't show it to ya…" The man pulled out a knife, twenty centimeters long. "I personally attest to its sharpness."

Toshiro looked through the goods he had, and saw a metal comb.

"How much for the comb?" Toshiro asked.

"Nine pence."

"I'll also take it."

"Very well…" The man sighed and started fitting the cleaver and knife with sheaths.

He also wrapped the whetstone and the comb in paper and passed it to Toshiro. Toshiro in turn gave the man his money and walked away.

_I wonder when he will notice that I paid him the full price for the cleaver…_

He went on through the stands, and noticed one with table covered with cloth, and a multi-lingual sign before it.

Books

Bücher

Libri

كتب

The merchant behind the table was and old bearded man with glasses. Toshiro approached him and said, "As-salam alaykum."

"Wa alaykumu s-salam, effendi. Have you come to seek for some literature to pass the time?"

"Yes, but I don't see many here…"

"Because the sun damages the books, effendi. I had to cover them with cloth." He said while unraveling the material covering the table.

Toshiro was presented with a slew of books, of many authors and written in many languages.

"I see…" Toshiro pondered for a while and started picking out books. "I want this one, this one…"

He ended up selecting half of what was on the table.

"My, my, effendi. I see that you are an avid reader. I will give you a ten percent discount."

"Thank you, but don't I need to haggle with you?"

"No need, effendi. Your grand total with discount is five shilling."

"Not much…" Toshiro muttered and paid the man. "Thank you."

"No, thank you, effendi."

Toshiro packed the stack of books in his backpack and went on. Exiting the bazaar, he saw a soldier with a small table, and three cards on it. The soldier immediately livened up when he saw Toshiro.

"Come up, come right up! Everyone wins!" The soldier in a tattered Karlslander uniform shouted.

Toshiro approached him.

"What kind of game do you play here?"

"Three-card Monte! Everyone wins! Pick out the queen of hearts and win!"

"Might as well…" Toshiro pulled out a pound and placed it on the table.

"Ah, so you are interested!" The man shouted and showed him the queen of hearts briefly and started shuffling the cards on the table with immense speed.

Toshiro however didn't have trouble following, and when the man stopped, he picked the card in the center.

The man flipped the card with a sour grimace, because he knew that Toshiro had won.

"I believe this means I get my two pounds, right?"

"Yes… But wait, what about a rematch? If you win, I'll pay you double!"

"Okay, be my guest…"

With a glint in his eye, the man started mixing the cards even faster, feinting movements, so a normal human would lose track after a few seconds. Toshiro pointed out the card on the right, which made the cardsharper almost cry.

"I win again? Oh would you look at that…"

"I don't have that kind of money on me…"

"You don't? How sad? How will you pay me now? I won fair and square… Maybe I should report your little racket? Did you even notice my rank?"

"Ugh… Yes, Herr Major…"

"What should I do to you… Ah, I know, let's hear your story, maybe you have an excuse? Start with your name and continue in whatever way."

"Gefreiter Franciszek Dolas from the army of Karlsland. After the Neuroi attack, and many predicaments, I landed here, in Tobruk, and I am making a living of card play. I still get my pay, but that's chicken feed, and the rations aren't exactly luxurious… I just wanted to improve my living standards, Herr Major…"

"A motif as good as any, Gefreiter… Well okay, I'll leave you be for now, and you can have that pound from me, but you'll have to answer me this: where can I buy cards here?"

Dolas immediately pulled out a small packet wrapped in foil. It was white, with a blue dragon xylograph, that was holding a golden 'B.D.' logo in its paws on it. On the flap used to open the box there was written:

**PATIENCE-KARTEN**

**N** **o** **. 189**

"Please, Herr Major, this is my spare deck."

"Are you trying to bribe me, Gefreiter?"

"N-No! I thought of this as a present or…"

Toshiro approached him mid-sentence and patted him firmly on the shoulder.

"I'm shitting you, Gefreiter." He said while picking of the deck of cards from his hand. "Why would I report on somebody that's working to improve his life standards? I mean gambling isn't the most valorous way of doing so, but at least you're not stealing… To each his own… Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Yes, Herr Major! Of course, Herr Major!" Dolas saluted nervously.

Toshiro stuffed the deck into a side pocket of his backpack and went on to the surplus goods store.

It was located in a warehouse, just like the one in Pearl Harbor. After Toshiro entered, being saluted by the guards, a grizzled soldier approached him.

"Someone new, huh?" He said and extended his hand. "Captain John Johnson, Liberion."

"Toshiro Edelweiss, Karlsland. So you run this establishment?"

"Yesir'. What do you need?"

"Where should I start?"

"From the beginning, heh…"

"First show me what you got, then I'll decide."

"Okay, follow me."

Toshiro was led to a cold storeroom chock full with foodstuffs. He looked around, quantified and classified what he saw and said:

"Okay then… I need… Prunes, dates, apples, pineapples, crackers, beef jerky, chocolate, coffee, sugar, cans, eggs, bacon and the best fresh fish you've got. Heat resistant goods should fit in my backpack, the rest should fit in a sidecar of an R75, inlaid with dry ice, which hopefully you have."

"That will be a whole lot of stuff, Major… You have the money for that?"

Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and opened it for John.

"Well… Sorry for asking… I would like to know the exact quantities…"

Toshiro pondered a while, and told the man the amount he wants to procure.

"Okay then, get that motorcycle of yours here, and we'll load it."

Toshiro went out back into the burning sun, and ventured on where he left his motorcycle. The kid that was supposed to guard it was sitting on the driver's position and making engine noises.

"I see you are having a good time kid?"

The child stopped making noises and answered, "Yes, effendi! This is fun for me!"

"No attempts were made to liberate the motorcycle from me?"

"No, effendi, not even one."

"I absolve you from your duty then, I have to drive to the warehouse and back to the base."

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, effendi."

"Likewise, kid. Now scram."

The kid got off the motorcycle, and ran off into an alley. Toshiro started the motorcycle, and drove up to the warehouse.

John himself and some of his helpers inlaid the interior of the sidecar with dry ice blocks, placed the goods in it and covered it with white material. Toshiro then pulled out the stuff in his backpack, and gave it to the men, so it could be loaded with food, which it was. After placing the items that were previously there on the top of his groceries, John approached him.

"Now, Major, pay up."

"Oh right, heh…" Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and paid a hefty amount of money to John.

"Thanks, Major. You know what… I'll throw in a small fridge for you as a bonus. The only downside is that something is broken in it, and it won't work. The coolant tank is intact though."

"Well, thanks, Captain."

"Hey, guys, get that busted fridge here!" He yelled.

After a few minutes, two of his men brought him the fridge, which wasn't that compact as advertised. It was a beige colored, one compartment freezer made by General Electrics, and it was the size of the chest that Toshiro lugged around since Britannia.

The two men placed the fridge on the sidecar, and strapped it down.

"Well, Captain, so long I guess? I guess I won't need more stuff from you for the next month."

"You'll probably meet me once or twice; I have this feeling in my gut."

"Who knows…?"

Toshiro started the motorcycle, and started his trip back to the base of the 31st.

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	23. Chapter 22 – A lazy forenoon

Chapter 23 – A lazy forenoon

Before Toshiro came up in the view range of Furuko, he stuffed the necklace, ornate box with the comb and the knife around his pockets. Afterwards, he carried on and he was halted by Furuko at her guard post.

"Halt! Papers!" She shouted while stepping in front of his motorcycle.

Toshiro took of his goggles and said, "Really?"

"Oh, it's you, Major. Pardon, but I'm a bit overzealous in my job… And to be honest, I didn't recognize you…"

"I could blame that on the fact that we are seeing each other only during meals… Say, want to comb my hair after supper?"

"Well… I… Oh, did you buy me the comb, Major?"

"Yeah, but nothing fancy, just a sturdy metal comb." Toshiro lied. "Want it now?"

"I'll pass, I might lose it out here. And thank you, Major. I will gladly maintain your hairdo today, and I will pay back for the comb."

"So, can I pass?"

"Heheh… Of course, Major." Furuko giggled with a slight blush on her cheeks and stepped aside.

After a few minutes, he arrived in the base, awaited only by Matilda and Mami. When he turned off the engine, he was approached by them.

"Hey you two, where's the rest?" Toshiro asked.

"Your two tent mates are resting after shoveling a quintal of cow shit, you must have passed by Ruko, Marseille is on a patrol, Keiko is in her tent doing… stuff, Rai is helping her and the both of us are standing before you." Mami answered.

"Fair enough… Okay, help me with unloading all the stuff, and be sure to place it in a manner which clearly indicates that this is all mine."

"Nothing for me?" Mami asked sadly.

"You can get some if you are a good cousin, heh…"

"Heehee… But anyway, did you get what I asked for?"

"Yes, yes." Toshiro said and pulled down the backpack from his back. "Let's see… Whetstone and cleaver, here you go."

Mami grabbed the cleaver and unsheathed it. Both the blade and her eyes sparkled as she did it.

"Woooow… Damascene steel… I could probably cut metal with this… Thanks cousin, I'll repay you as fast as I can."

"Sure, Mami. But I have a bonus for you, sort of a follow up gift, because just money is lame."

"Oh, what is it?!" Mami asked nervously.

Toshiro pulled out the kitchen knife from behind his back and gave it to her.

"I noticed that besides bickering on the lack of a cleaver, you said you have a shitty knife. So here you go, heh…"

"Thanks!" She shouted and hugged him violently.

"I hate to interrupt you two, but the sun and the produce…" Matilda muttered.

"Oh, right. The faster we unload, the faster you will get your books, Matilda. They are on the bottom of my backpack."

"And what's under that fridge?" Mami asked.

"The heat susceptible food. The good people in the harbor have inlaid the sidecar with dry ice."

"My, my… Nice. I can move the fridge, right?"

"Yeah, if you want to…"

Mami immediately undid the straps that were fastening the fridge to the sidecar, and moved it to the sand. Then they started moving the food to the pantry, which took them less than ten minutes.

After closing the door, Mami said, "Wheeew, all done! I can't wait to try out my new blades, heheheheh…"

"And I can't wait to read a good book…" Matilda mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah… Come on, Matilda, we have to divide the books… Yours or mine?"

"Yours, mine isn't exactly mine…"

"Okay."

They both went along to Toshiro's tent. Inside, the busty Liberian and petite Romagnan were lying half-dead on their beds.

"Oh, Toshiro… Uuuuugh…" Shirley moaned.

"Uuuuuugh…" Francesca joined the moaning.

"Shirley… What happened to your uniform?" Toshiro asked after seeing her tattered and ripped uniform lying on the ground before her bed, and Shirley with only her bra on.

"Oh… That… That damn beast of Marseille started chewing on it, and when I pulled, the uniform just ripped…"

"How unfortunate… But you know what? I'll make some arrangements, but not now, okay? Now I have to divide the book haul of mine between Matilda and me. Oh and…" He pulled the goggles off his neck and threw them precisely on the belly of Shirley.

"Ooof, thanks… Suuure… I'm too pooped to even protest if I had something against it… By the way, did you get us something good?"

"Sure, everything is in the pantry already. Also, I got a busted fridge. It should work in theory…"

Shirley immediately livened up.

"A fridge? So we can keep water and snacks here?!"

"Yeah, but…"

"WHERE IS IT?!" Shirley shouted in amuck.

"Besides the motorcycle, I forgot to park it by the way…"

"Don't worry about that! I have a mission!" Shirley shouted and ran out of the tent.

"So…" Toshiro started saying something but Shirley already returned with the fridge over her head, and slammed it on the ground.

"That was fast…" Toshiro said dumbfounded. "So anyway…" He took his backpack and turned it upside down over his desk, so all the books would fall out. "…this is my haul, Matilda."

"Impressive… But how am I going to pay for this?"

"I bought these books for me, but you will have unlimited access to them. Is that fine?"

"I'm fine with that, Toshiro. Can I pick something out already?"

"Be my guest." He responded with a smile on his face.

"But… Uh… Any recommendations?" Matilda asked baffled.

"Oh, yes, let's see… How proficient are you with reading? Any favorite genre? Favorite authors?"

"I was taught to read and write by missionaries, but I don't actually have any preferences… And Mistress only has erotic novels… I feel so ashamed reading them…"

"Erotic novels… Seriously… Well anyway, I only have some serious literature here… Oh look, 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' by Mark Twain, and 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, those should be rather light reads. You can take them now, no pressure with time."

"Thank you, Toshiro. I'll have something to do besides eating, sleeping and serving the Mistress."

"The pleasure is on my side."

"Hey, Toshiro, I think I fixed it!" Shirley shouted suddenly.

'Huh, what?" Toshiro looked around and saw Shirley near the opened fridge, in which a light was alit. "Your Speed Magic is something truly astounding, Shirley."

Toshiro approached the fridge, and put his hand inside. Although it started running just a few seconds ago, the air was already starting to get cooler. The fridge ran with a silent hum, no louder than a mosquito buzzing around ones ears.

"I suppose I should fill it up, huh?" Toshiro asked with a sly smile.

"Yeah…" Shirley said while whirling her eyes around counterclockwise.

Toshiro patted her on the head and stood up. Matilda had already gone out apparently, because neither she nor her choice books were present.

He went out of his tent and to the pantry. After opening it with his key, he entered the room and picked out some pears, apples, raisins and crackers, and stashed them into an empty bag he found. He stepped out of the pantry, locked it and returned to his tent.

Shirley after seeing the contents of the bag almost sanctified him with her gaze. Francesca was still lying half-dead on her bed, but one sentence spoken by Shirley was enough to get her out of that state.

"Lucchini, we have snacks!"

Francesca jumped up from her bad as if prod in the buttocks with a red-hot poker and immediately ran up to Toshiro and Shirley.

"OH! OH! What'cha got!?"

"Well, some assorted fruit and crackers, nothing fancy, but Francesca will get her daily portion of vitamins. Of course, you and I can also munch of it. And I thought of negotiating with Tina for some milk, at least for our little boob devil…"

"Daaawww, Toshiro, you are being like a father for Lucchini..."

"Well, it will be a while since I'll have a teenage daughter, so I might as well practice early, heheh…" Toshiro said with a soft voice.

"I would enjoy playing with her!" Francesca said with joy.

"Gods forbid!" Toshiro shouted.

The three of them shared a laugh.

Toshiro left some of the food he brought on the table, and stuffed the rest in the fridge, which already started gathering frost, and just opening it cooled the air marvelously.

"Uh, Toshiro, we have a problem…" Shirley said.

"Huh?" Toshiro looked back surprised.

"Well… We don't have a knife to peel the fruit… Maybe that sword of yours…"

"Shirley… Did you just propose that I use a sword that was made through fusing over thirty souls and which could cut a battleship in half with a wrist snap for… PEELING FRUIT?!"

"Eheheh… You know, we should use what we have available…"

"Yes, yes… I'll go ask Mami if she doesn't have some pig sticker…" Toshiro said. "Peeling apples with a one and a half meter katana… Hah… What has the world come to…" Toshiro mumbled to himself.

Just as Toshiro was about to exit, somebody knocked on the wooden plank before the tent.

"Come in." Toshiro said.

Speaking of the devil, Mami entered all rainbows and pink clouds. She had a worn knife in her right hand.

"Yo cousin! I had the feeling I should give you my old knife." She paused and looked at the fruit on the table. "Just in time I believe?"

"Can you read minds or what? I was about to go to you and ask you about a spare knife or something."

"Hah! I'm good, ain't I? I was testing my new knife, very good by the way, and thought I could try to repay you for the present somehow."

"So a hand-me-down knife? Hahahah! You know that this is awkward on multiple levels?"

"Yyyyeah… Somehow I realize…"

"Okay, give me it; I'll accept it with gratitude."

Mami handed him the knife, grip forward. Toshiro weighed it in his hand, turned around and threw it flat to Shirley.

"Thanks!" She said and started peeling a pear.

"Anything else, Mami?"

She didn't reply him, she just stared at him with her red eyes.

_"Huh?"_

_"I have a feeling she wants you to stroke her on the head…"_

_"Where did that come from?"_

_"I feel it from her familiar. It's a cat from all I can tell."_

_"Oh well…"_

Toshiro extended his hand and slowly started stroking her head. He felt as Mami pushed against his hand, as if a normal cat would do.

_"This is unexpected…"_

_"Toshiro, sometimes witches gain some character traits from their familiars. It seems that in this case, Shorty gained maternal instincts of a cat mother."_

_"And what exactly did I gain from you? Zip. More like you've gotten sour from me, heheheh…"_

_"Well... I suppose so… But how could that happen? I was almost emotionless at the beginning, and you were a true paragon of justice…"_

_"Synergy… Or synthesis… Two ingredients gave out something new…"_

_"Maybe… But I don't regret it, because looking back, I was so bland and… ehh… I didn't even have the guts to stop your wild orgy with Cow Tits back then…"_

_"And I'm glad that you aren't such a two dimensional companion now... While you mentioned it… You wanted to interrupt me back then? I felt literally nothing coming from you…"_

_"I wanted… With my whole existence, I wanted to do it but… It seems your sexual urge was so immense back then that I couldn't get through… That's why now I'll cool you down before you start getting horny."_

_"Thanks for being my chastity belt…"_

_"Much obliged."_

"Hey, Toshiro! I want to be stroked on the head too!" Francesca shouted with a voice full of jealousy from her bed.

Toshiro saw that Mami showed her tongue to Francesca.

"Oh you thieving cat!" Francesca shouted in anger. "You miniscule fleabag!"

Mami immediately passed by Toshiro and raised her fist, revealing the vambraces called 'han kote' protecting her forearms.

"Who you calling a miniscule fleabag, you perverted flat-chested half-assed excuse for a panther?!"

Francesca's eyes widened for a second, but she then narrowed them, pointed her finger at Mami and said, "You… You are so dead…"

"Oh shut the fuck up you two…" Toshiro sighed. "Stand down, or you will be running laps naked around the base."

The two gasped and immediately covered their breasts.

"Now that I got your attention… Why are you behaving like two cats in mating season over me? I've got two hands; I could pleasure you both at the same time…"

The girls were looking at him with terror, but Shirley on the other hand had wiggled her eyebrows up and down, which the two cats couldn't see.

"Heh, that didn't sound well… Anyway, apologize to each other, now. I don't want my two friends quarrelling over petty things."

The two made pouty faces, but managed to shake hands somehow.

"And now to make things just…"

Toshiro approached the two, and stroked both of them on the heads briefly. It was visible with the naked eye that the two girls relaxed immediately.

Suddenly a loud voice was heard behind Toshiro.

"For the love of every kami on Earth, I want to work!"

It was the voice of the angered Keiko. Toshiro turned around, and while doing it, the two girls hid behind him.

"Problem, Keiko?" Toshiro asked.

She looked curiously at the scene before him and said, "Hmmm… Besides the two hiding behind you shouting like mad, I don't see any…"

"Don't worry; they are already taken care of. You can return to your… work…"

"You could help me you know, I'm behind again…"

"Sure, what needs to be done?"

"Take a report from Marseille when she returns. Do you have some army stationery and the sorts?"

"Dunno, I didn't sift through my office supplies…"

"Then do it, I'll wait here."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Toshiro went to the cabinet, opened the door and pulled out a metal box. He placed it on the desk, opened it and started pulling out things.

"Ink well… Spare ink… Fountain pen… Refiller… Oh, I even have a quill… Ink tape… A pounce… An ink blotter… Does Galland want me to do calligraphy or what? Hmmm… Ah yes, paper packs…"

Toshiro pulled out a pack of paper, which had seals on it. He ripped it open, and saw army stationery, with the Kaisers Eagle and all other necessary print. He showed a sheet to Keiko and asked, "Will that do?"

Keiko, despite her perfect eyesight, came closer, took the sheet from him and looked at it.

"Hmmm… This is actually the first time I have ever seen Wehrmacht stationery that is not written from top to bottom with orders and such… You should scour that box for a seal, so I won't have to double for you."

Toshiro turned back to the box, and looked through its contents again. He found and ink pad, a bottle of red ink and a simple seal. He poured the ink onto the pad, slammed the seal against it, swiped the sheet of paper from Keiko, and pounded the seal against it on the desk. A clear image appeared, showing the Kaisers Eagle and Toshiro's name, rank and unit.

"Impressive, Toshiro. Maybe I should fork some of my work to you, now that I know you can do it one hundred percent legit?"

"Pssssh, be my guest. Not that I have anything to do… Just one question: should I type my stuff or write it by hand?"

"Whatever suits you best, Toshiro. I prefer to type my stuff, because my handwriting isn't exactly calligraphy…"

"Then I'll also type..." Toshiro heard a faint sound of a reciprocating engine in the distance. "It seems Tina is approaching."

"Yeah, I hear it too… Let's go great her."

"Yeah, let's."

* * *

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	24. Chapter 24 - Reliving the past

Chapter 24 - Reliving the past

Toshiro and Keiko were slowly trotting over the hot Cyrenaican sand in the direction of the multipurpose shed at the end of the runway. Tina was to be seen flying gracefully from east to north.

"So, why was Tina on patrol?" Toshiro asked.

"Well, it was patrol duty at first, but I heard through the radio that she engaged some Turtles on the way back."

"Turtles?"

"Do you know how a Jagdpanzer IV looks like?"

"Well yeah… "

Toshiro recalled a news excerpt with the title "A new assault gun has made its way into the African front!". It showed a slim, low profile tank destroyer with slant front and side armor, and a 7,5 cm StuK 42 L/70 gun mounted. The excerpt stated that it was designed after a Neuroi.

"So the Turtles are the small land based Neuroi, and they looked like a Jagdpanzer turned upside down, without the tracks, but with four mechanical legs protruding from the sides, and an added turret."

Toshiro did the mental exercise and portrayed the Neuroi, with black paint and red patterns.

"I can see it pretty much… But why didn't I hear it on the radio myself?"

"Because you were out back then."

"Oh…"

They approached the shed just as Tina approached to land. A cloud of dust form as she touched the runway. She slowly taxied up to the shed where the two stood, and stopped just before them. An eagle's tail was protruding from beneath her short skirt, and big, feathered ears were standing out from her head.

"Hi Majors! What's going on?"

"Toshiro will be taking a report from you, pretty much it." Keiko said calmly.

"Oh, you are already loading of your work to him, Kei?" Tina asked with a wry smile.

"Aw shush, Tina. Toshiro doesn't have anything to do anyway, and he has to learn doing paperwork, right, Toshiro?"

"Pretty much… I have to learn many things to surpass Adolfine one day, heheh…"

"So you want to go past Brigadier General?" Tina asked.

"To be honest, I don't care anymore. I can even succeed my uncle on the throne, if I can keep Yoshika at my side."

"Who's Yoshika?" Keiko asked.

"Oh right… I always told you that I have a girlfriend, but never told her name… Yoshika Miyafuji, a proud daughter of Fuso, and a former member of the 501st JFW."

"Miyafuji?!" Keiko almost shouted from surprise. "THE Miyafuji?!"

"Um, yes… Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, no… But now that I think of it… You really have a nice circle of friend and acquaintances… Your uncle is the Emperor of Karlsland, your girlfriend is the daughter of a man that made combating Neuroi easier, you seem to be on good terms with Adolfine and Little Mio…"

"Actually, my late father was the best friend and assistant of Ichiro Miyafuji. I saw a dedication in the printed edition of his theorem to my father…"

"And he was also the connection to the Kaiser, yes?" Tina asked.

"Yes, the bastard son of the previous Emperor. But enough about me, let's get that report done, Tina."

"Sure thing, Major." She jumped out of her Striker and placed it in the shed, along with her MG 34.

The three of them went to the center of the base, and Keiko split of to her tent along the way.

"Oh, Toshiro, did you buy me what I wanted?" Keiko asked.

"Sure, the pantry is where you want to go."

"Heh, thanks."

Toshiro and Tina went into the formers tent. They saw Shirley feeding Francesca with a slice of a pear. When Shirley saw whom Toshiro brought along, she got furious.

"Hey, Marseille! You owe me!"

"Huh? What could I owe the likes of you?"

"Your damn cow ripped my uniform! I demand compensation!"

"Pffft, ask Heidi if she will pay you back, hahahahah."

"Okay, hush you two, before this escalates." Toshiro said and turned to Tina. "As compensation, you will provide Francesca with one bottle of milk daily." He then turned to Shirley. "Shirley, I already told you that I will procure a new uniform to you, don't fret. And you don't have to vent out on Tina for what her stupid cow did, right?"

"Well, yeah…" Shirley mumbled.

"I can spare a bottle of milk I think… And looking at that pint sized boob grabber; it would help her, heh…"

"Fine then, everything's settled. Now, Tina, that report I have to write…"

"You will be doing paper work now, Toshiro? Should we leave?" Shirley asked.

"You don't have to if you want…"

"Nah, I just don't want to hear to Marseille bragging about her kill count and such. Come on, Lucchini."

"Okay!" Francesca cheered and stuffed another slice of pear in her mouth.

When Shirley passed Tina, she stuck out her tongue at her, and the latter did likewise.

"How childish…" Toshiro sighed. "Okay then…"

Toshiro pulled out the typewriter from under the desk, placed an ink tape inside, pulled out the army stationery, placed it in the typewriter and asked, "So, ready now?"

"Ready."

Tina started dictating him a report with a monotone voice, as if she did this at least a thousand times before, which would be possible, given the fact that she's almost three years here. The report was full of excruciating details, that only a total perfectionist would look upon.

After they finished, Toshiro was all sweaty from banging on the typewriter's keys.

"Whew… Let me guess, every day for the past three years?"

"Yup."

"Damn… Keiko must have steel fingertips already…"

Toshiro pulled out a fountain pen and passed it with the report to Tina. She gave it her signature, flashy as herself, and gave the piece of paper back to him. He slammed the seal on it, and gave his own John Hancock.

"Now you would probably want to take a smoke, huh?"

"Oh right, I wanted apple tobacco! Do you have it, Major?!" She asked with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, and as a matter of fact, the guy I got it from said he had it reserved for you…"

"Uh… Heh… I didn't tell you… Sorry, but can I have it now?" She asked a bit nervously.

"Sure, sure…"

Toshiro pulled out the tin from his desk, but accidentally banged it on the edge of the desk. He felt as is something came loose inside the tin. He shook the tin slightly, and felt something rambling around freely.

Toshiro turned his gaze to Tina, and she was immediately paralyzed from fear. He opened the tin, and under a thick layer of apple tobacco, he saw a small brown package. He took it out, and smelled it. A faint sweet scent was coming from it, different from the contents of the tin. The package was soft when pressed with the fingers, and rests of glue were visible on one side.

"So this is the 'special bonus' that guy was talking about… Tina… What do I hold in my hands right now?"

She was silent as a grave, although her eyes were showing she's on the brink of panic.

"I ask you again - what is it?"

No response.

_Okay then… There comes a time for everyone that has authority to do this…_

Toshiro suddenly slammed his fist on the desk and shouted, "What is in this package, soldier! Answer me!"

"C-c-cannabis…" She stuttered.

"You are smoking pot while on duty? Are you insane?! You know what punishment awaits for someone found with drugs or under their influence. I know. I know the whole fucking military law by heart!"

"Not like your relationship with that Yoshika was any less illicit…" She rebuked.

Something snapped in Toshiro and his hand shot out forward, grabbing Tina's throat with an iron grip. Although he was no longer under the influence of the Impure Sacred Flame, and his symbiosis with Yuki enabled him not to reveal when he is using magic, the snake features could still appear while under the influence of strong emotions.

"Don't drag Yoshika into this, or I'll snap your neck like a fucking twig…" Toshiro said with a voice colder than ice.

"What…. the…" Tina tried to respond with a gurgling voice.

"Toshiro, please, stop… I'll explain everything…"

A shy voice was heard from the entrance. It was Raisa, standing there insecurely.

Toshiro let go of Tina, and she fell back on her chair, gasping for air.

"Please, Raisa, I hope you have some good explanation for this." He said while pointing out to the brown package.

Raisa approached Tina, which was massaging her throat, and asked, "Everything okay, Miss Marseille?"

Tina nodded.

"So, Major… The reason why Miss Marseille is smoking cannabis is that she was diagnosed with stress syndrome by doctor Morell… It helps her take the edge of…"

"Oh…" Toshiro's facial expression immediately changed. "Can I know more details?"

"Basically Miss Marseille is accumulating to much stress due to fighting and another thing, so she has to smoke cannabis to soothe herself… Doctor Morell told that it's better than using other drugs, because cannabis has the least side-effects…"

"Who is this Morell fellow?"

"The Kaiser's personal doctor, Theodor Gilbert Morell. He is a world class specialist in dealing with ailments of both the mind and the body."

"So it's so severe? My… I'm sorry, Tina, I didn't know… But if I may inquire, what is the 'other thing' Raisa talked about?"

"It was in October 1942… I was in a sortie with Kei and… my Striker's engine's started overheating… and…" Tears started slowly forming on Tina's lower eyelids. "And my familiar died of the heat… If it wasn't for Kei, I would have crashed and died do to the loss of my magic… Eddie was such a fine familiar… We always talked with each other… His son is not the same anymore… Ehhh… That's why I'm so stressed out, Toshiro, although you can't see it. My pride won't let me show it…"

"So you are still grieving after… Eddie? Who would have known… But why the secrecy? Why trying to pull in Yoshika into this to piss me off?"

"Marijuana is illegal in Cyrenaica, and my therapy isn't exactly official, you know if people would get wind that I'm some wacko… Heh… I'm sorry…"

"Does Keiko know?"

"Yes."

"Hmm… I had an episode with my Striker overheating, but I don't remember Yuki complaining…"

"Yuki?" Raisa asked.

"My familiar, a tsuchinoko."

"Huh?"

"A snake of extinct species."

"Oh…"

"I didn't die because I tapped into the breach of the Sacred Flames barrier." Yuki said suddenly. "The heat was immense, but I managed."

Tina and Raisa twitched hearing her voice.

"W-what was that?" Tina asked.

"That was Yuki. She can be a self-centered arrogant bitch, but she is a real dear the other times. Yeah, back then I got second degree burns of my legs, but Yoshika healed them the next day…"

Toshiro pushed the package along the desk in Tina's direction.

"Here, I only approve of it because it's medicine for you."

Tina grabbed the package shyly and said, "Thanks, Toshiro…"

"Huh? Toshiro? Not Major anymore?"

"Nah… You know my soft side and weakness now, and l learned more about you… You will be a great leader one day I feel it somehow… But don't think I'll change towards your friends, they have to earn my respect! I'm the Star of Africa, Desert Eagle and Gelb Vierzehn! I have a reputation to upkeep!"

"Heh, thanks. So… Dismissed you two."

The two turned around and exited his tent.

_"Yuki, you never told me that familiars could have offspring."_

_"Because you never asked."_

_"So how does it… work?"_

_"Parthogenesis. When a familiar reaches a certain age and magic threshold, it can literally create his offspring out of thin air. It can be done only once however…"_

_"Interesting…"_

_"And you thought that how does it work, pervert? That way of procreation is so last eon…"_

_"So you and Kuji don't need each other for that manner?"_

_"Well 'physically' no, but there's something else you didn't know: if two familiars combine their efforts, a familiar of immense power can be born. But only the top notch can even try to do it…"_

_"Very interesting... But a snake and a dog…Ugh… What kind of hybrid would that yield?"_

_"49% chances for a snake, 49% chances for a dog, 2% chances for – watch out – anything."_

_"Preposterous!"_

_"But very real. That's how the world works behind the curtains… And before you ask: we are saving ourselves for your kid, so it can have a nice familiar."_

_"I'm not thinking about kids now for serious… But thanks for the heads up."_

Toshiro went to the radio, turned it on and lied down. After a few minutes, Shirley and Francesca returned.

"So, finished with the boring stuff, Toshiro?" Shirley asked.

"Yeah, coast clear."

Both happily fell on their beds, face up, and listening to the music. The three of them just lied there, and listened.

After some time, knocking was heard at the entrance.

"Come in." Toshiro said.

"Coushin!" Mami cheered with her right hand in the air.

"What does my preposterously cute and accidentally lisping cousin want?"

"Dinner is ready, and you'd better hurry, because everyone looks like carnivorous beasts right now."

"Keiko did her thing?"

"Yup!"

"Come on you all, this is something you shouldn't probably miss."

Before exiting, Toshiro picked up something from his desk.

When they entered the tent, the rest of the 31st was already gathered around the tables. Keiko was doing finishing the sushi at the kitchen table.

"Oh, Toshiro! You picked up some nice fish!" Keiko said.

"Heh…"

When she finished, she distributed the sushi pieces amongst the gathered. No critical voices were heard, only praise.

"Muuuuuh… It reminds me of Yoshika…" Francesca sighed.

"I don't know if I should feel praised or insulted, Lucchini."

"Probably praised, Keiko. Yoshika is a really good cook and everyone from the former 501st can back up that statement." Toshiro answered. "Right, Francesca?"

"Uhum!" She mumbled with her mouth full.

"Then I'm glad!" Keiko said with enthusiasm.

After a minute, Toshiro said, "Hey, Sergeant."

"Yes, Major?"

Toshiro pulled out an item out of his pocket and gave it to Furuko.

"As I said, nothing fancy, but it will do, right?"

Furuko looked at the item she received, a sturdy steel comb.

"It's not that mundane as it looks, Major…" She said while bending the comb. "It's made of rather soft steel, and the tips of the teeth are very well rounded… And it has a good length to height ratio… A fine example of good craftsmanship. Thank you, Major, I will reimburse you once I have the necessary funds."

"I'm glad that you like it, Sergeant."

Furuko blushed slightly and returned to her sushi.

After dinner, Toshiro immersed himself in a book called 'Adventures of Tom Sawyer' until supper. As he finished eating, Furuko approached him.

"Major, we can go now…"

"Oh, okay, but give me a second, okay?"

"Sure…"

He went into his tent, and stealthily got the valuable comb out of the desk. When he entered the tent of the Furuko, Mami and Raisa, he almost forgot how to breathe.

Furuko's part of the tent looked like some kind of boudoir. There was a big cabinet with a large mirror, a mannequin head with a blonde wig and a tailor mannequin with some half-finished piece of clothing on it. Various material scraps were lying all around.

Mami's part of the tent was rather conservative in decorations, having only a poster from the 'Flash in the Fuso Sea' movie and a katana hanging over hear bed.

Raisa's part of the tent was similar in robustness, but instead of a poster with Tomoko Anabuki, she had a poster of Tina.

_To each his own…_

"Nice tent... Especially your corner, Sergeant."

"Thanks… Please, take a sit."

Toshiro sat on a chair and Furuko approached him from behind. She took his long her in her left hand and fluttered it around a bit in the air.

"Hmmm… Such nice hair…"

"Where is everybody by the way, Sergeant?"

"I told them to wait until we finish, Major."

As she started combing his hair, Toshiro stopped beating around the bush and asked:

"Sergeant, why are you so sad lately?"

The hand with the comb stopped.

"Ehhhh… You noticed, Major?"

"How couldn't I? You were so full of energy on the first day I was here."

"Well… I'm simply sad because I haven't had contact with my old friends back in Fuso for a long time… And you have a cousin here… Old friends…" She said with a voice full of melancholy. "And I don't even have a family to return to…"

"Why's that?"

"I'm an orphan, Major."

"Sorry to hear, Sergeant. Is that why you are so gloomy lately?"

"Yes…"

"Don't worry, Sergeant. Lack of news is usually good news. Your friends perfectly understand that you are fighting in their stead. And I'm an orphan too, although a rather fresh one you might say. But I'm at peace with that fact. You should also find your peace with it, Sergeant."

"Well, maybe you are right, Major… Let's leave this topic for now… Maybe someday I'll get over it…" She said and resumed combing his hair.

"I have something that might cheer you up a bit."

"Oh?" She stopped combing.

"Yeah, go in front of me, close your eyes and extend your right hand."

A bit reluctantly, but she did what she was told.

Toshiro pulled out the box from his pocket, and placed it on Furuko's hand.

"Okay, open your eyes."

She opened her eyes, looked at the box, blinked a few time rapidly and asked, "What is it?"

"A memento for you. Open the lid."

She carefully opened the lid, and her eyes sparkled. Her left hand trembled as she reached for the tortoise shell comb.

"This… T-t-this… This cost a fortune! And it's perfect!" She shouted with joy, but quickly changed her mood. "But I can't accept it… Because of the price…"

"Money is a secondary issue here. The price I want you to pay is... dropping the whole rank hubbub. I'll call you Furuko; you call me Toshiro, that's that."

Furuko looked dumb at him, but soon realized what Toshiro's motif was.

"I get it… You want to make me your friend, so I won't be so unhappy? You already knew I was sad because of some family issues? And that simple comb was just a pretext?"

"Pretty much yes. So?"

"So nothing, Toshiro…" She said with a smile.

"Then as you were, Furuko."

She flashed her new comb before him, and returned to combing him.

After she finished, she told him to look in the mirror.

"Well, my hair does look a tad better. Thanks, Furuko."

"No problem, Ma… Toshiro, heheh… You are an even better client that Charlotte was."

"Shirley?"

"Oh, no. I mean Charlotte Leuder from Karlsland. She's a tank witch. While we were in Gabr Hari, she often visited us and helped our unit out, but now she was transferred, and we were relocated…. And of course she almost forced me to do her hair, heehee… That long golden hair… You know, right before 'Operation Sphinx' Charlotte and I went to a refuel station. A birthday party was secretly organized for her. We had a screening of 'Alice in the Wonderland', and then everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' and she got a cake… Then Neuroi appeared, a fight ensued, but we prevailed. Talk about bad luck, huh? But no need to burden you with too much for now. Have a good night, Toshiro."

"Bye, Ruko."

"Oh, you called me Ruko… I don't think we should…"

"Damn well we should!"

"Yes sir! Heeheehee…"

He got out of her tent, and went to his own. What stumped him was that Francesca and Shirley were also reading books.

"Hey, where are the two girls that were usually here?" Toshiro asked.

"Ha…Ha…" Shirley answered sarcastically. "We decided to give reading a chance, since the songs on the radio started repeating themselves. You don't have anything against it that we borrowed your books?"

"No, no… Not at all…"

Toshiro joined the newly formed book corner, until late in the night. After Francesca gave out her first yawn, they decided to call it a day.

Despite trying to get some shuteye, Toshiro couldn't sleep for one simple reason: some time after they turned off the lights, somebody started to poke him.

* * *

**Google for Theodor Morell if you'd like ;P**

**And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]**


	25. Chapter 25 – Calling home

Chapter 25 – Calling home

When he opened his eyes, he saw Tina leaning over him, without her usual leather jacket. She wore the same plain uniform that Raisa had.

Since Shirley and Francesca were sleeping, she gave signs with her head to follow him. Toshiro in turn furled his eyebrows angrily, to which Tina made a pleading face and nudged her head with greater intensity. Toshiro sighed silently and stood up from his bed.

While outside, he silently asked, "What's going on, Tina?"

"Matilda is acting up, follow me."

When he entered Tina's tent, he felt as if he walked into a hunting club's saloon. There was a big bar counter in one corner, a grand sofa standing up to one side of the tent, a big table with a water pipe standing on it and matching chairs around it, which probably was made in a style named after some Gallian king. Drapes were hanging all around, and the whole floor had a fluffy carpet on it. Turning his eyes a bit to the side, he saw a queen size bed, truly worthy of a queen.

Then he saw Matilda.

She was huddling on her simple bed, with a cross in her right hand and a garlic cluster in the second one. A long shield and spear were hanging over her bed.

"You see, Toshiro? She suddenly ran out of the tent a few minutes ago, and came back with a cross and that garlic cluster. Do you know what could happen to her? I mean she's the epitome of calmness, and I doubt that anything short of a Neuroi the size of a pyramid could scare her…"

Toshiro looked at the shivering witch, and saw the book he gave her earlier was lying open besides her.

"Hmmm… I have a theory, but… It's just too absurd…"

"Well, spit it out, I can't have Matilda shivering like an aspen tree…"

"You see that book that's beside her?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I have a suspicion that she could take it a wee bit too seriously…"

"Huh? What is it about then?"

"From what I heard it's about a blood sucking undead monster, a vampire. She has a cross and garlic cluster, because vampires are supposedly weak to holy items, and garlic supposedly wards them off."

"Oh… But come on, Matilda is hard as a damn rock!"

"Hey, she only read your erotic novels in the past, and as she admitted, she is only a simple girl, so maybe she can't draw the line between reality and literary fiction? Maybe I shouldn't have given her that book…"

"Geheheh… She told you about my ero novels? This is embarrassing… Well anyway, since it's partially your fault, maybe you should deal with her problem?"

"Do I really have a choice in that matter?" Toshiro sighed and approached Matilda. "Hey, Matilda, what's wrong?"

"I-I-I… I can't sleep… I have to be vigilant… Or a vampire will come to me… And suck my blood… And turn me into a vampire… And I'll do the same to mistress…"

"Oh come on… It's just a book… This didn't happen, and vampires are just fairy tales…"

"No… No… If it's written in a book, than it must be true…"

Toshiro sighed and turned back to Tina.

"I'm going to do something that you might consider weird, so hang in there."

She nodded to him.

Toshiro approached Matilda from behind and embraced her. An aura of white flames enveloped him and a few seconds after it enveloped Matilda. She stopped shaking immediately, and dropped her anti-vampire accessories. The flame aura receded, and Toshiro let Matilda go.

"Thank you, Toshiro…" Matilda silently mumbled. "I got reality and fiction mixed up to badly…"

"Don't worry; I was afraid of going out in the night to take a crap after mother told me the story about Susanoo and Yamata no Orochi…"

"Well, everybody has to show some fear sometimes… Only a true fool is fearless… What did you do to me by the way? In a moment I was in a state of bliss, not caring about my fears…"

"That's one of the property of the Sacred Flame: Purification. Be it exorcising or simply calming down somebody, I can do it thanks to that power."

"Calming down?" Tina interrupted. "You think you could… me…"

"We can try. Whenever you feel you can't take it anymore, come to me, and we'll experiment."

"You know how that sounded?"

"Geheheh… No, but seriously, I can try to help you. You could dump that grass…"

"Sure, I'll knock on your… tent flap when the time comes."

"On a side note, nice pad you got here. Must have cost you a small truck of money."

"Heh, no need to mince your words, Toshiro, it cost me a fuckton of money, about two hundred pounds, give or take."

"Where'd you get that kind of dough? I had to save four months of pay, orphan money and some allowance from my uncle to have what I have now in my wallet…"

"Huh? How much do you have now?"

"Hmmm…" Toshiro pulled out his obnoxiously fat wallet and pulled out all the bills he had.

Tina's eyes inflated to the size of basketballs as Toshiro was counting.

"Roughly four hundred."

"Ghaaah… And you carry that kind of moolah with you?!"

"What should I be afraid of, highwaymen? Heh…"

"I suppose not… But anyway, imagine that when Keiko came here first in '42, everything was just makeshift. The sofa was made out of sandbags, the bar was made of sandbags, the table was made of sandbags and plywood, I had a crappy bed like you have… But I started saving, and I got commissions from war bonds I sold, so now I have what I have. By the way, this is our second base. A year ago, we had one at the oasis at Gabr Hari, 80 kilometers east from Tobruk. What a crap hole that was…"

"You are quite the celebrity, huh? Raisa has a poster with you over her bed."

"Heh, well… Wait a minute; you don't know about how famous I am?"

"Nope. And frankly, prior to reading your dossier I didn't know about your existence…"

"Ignorant… You must have heard of me! Didn't Frau tell you?"

"Nope. Speaking of Erica, we are treating each other as siblings. Don't ask why, too much explaining. How did you came to know her?"

"We were in one training school in Berlin. She was transferred from Bayern, and, well… she had better grades than me, partly because I was a delinquent back then…"

"Well, I still see traits of a delinquent in your behavior..."

"Rub it in… The faculty of my school almost blocked my promotion because of my behavior… Probably because of the challenges, I put up on Hartmann, heh… And then we got into the same unit, the 4th Division of the JG52. Guess who my superior officer was back then?"

"Minna?"

"Nope, it was Barkhorn. Damn, was she a tightass… So after some… perils in the JG52, I got transferred to the JG27, which in turn got reformed into the 31st JFW. And you know what? People started liking me. I found myself in a self-winding spiral of admiration, because of my formidable combat skills, and thus, I earned all those nicknames I told you about, and the army finally took notice of me."

"Hmmm… Exactly the same situation I was afraid to be dragged into… That dickface Maloney wanted to turn me into some 'hero of the people', and inflatable, empty, show-off figure…"

"Hey! Don't speak like that!"

"I'm not talking about you, Tina. I see that you are a fighter first, and then a celebrity. I was to be turned into the opposite, a celebrity with little to none combat opportunities. But hey, I got famous anyhow, being the dead nephew of the Kaiser… "Ah, well, and maybe I'm some kind of hero for the Gallians, but I couldn't actually track the news, heh…" Toshiro remembered his Legion of Honor award.

"If you would capitalize on that note, you could easily be the most recognized person in the whole world. Women would throw their panties at you and every man would like to shake your hand and drink a round with you."

"The problem is that I'm still pretty much dead to the world… Only a select few know that I'm actually alive."

"Oh… Right… Heheh, so that makes me the star now."

"I don't want to diminish you, Tina, but I have some feeling that either my uncle or Adolfine will pull a fast one on me… And that I'll have no choice but to comply…"

"But until that happens…" Tina patted him on the shoulder. "… just be yourself."

"Hah! Speaking of which, I like you more without that pretentious leather jacket. You look more… feminine in this uniform."

Tina blushed wildly and her eyes got wide.

"Oh… Well… If you like it… I can drop the jacket around the base…"

"You can do it if you like, but don't force yourself."

"Um, excuse me you two, but I would like to take a nap…" Matilda interrupted.

"Hah, yes, sorry Matilda. I'll be heading my way."

"Good night, Toshiro, and thanks once more." She responded.

"Night, Toshiro." Tina said.

He went back to his tent, and saw that Francesca was already lying on Shirley.

_It can't be helped._

He lied down, and went to sleep.

In the morning, he went jogging with Matilda as usual.

"You know, Toshiro, I slept like a baby this night…"

"Good for you, I think. Mami told me that you are always on the vigil, even in sleep."

"Well, that's true, but today I truly and deeply slept. I hope that nothing happened…"

"Don't beat yourself for this; there are other units in charge of spotting Neuroi I believe."

"True… I think I can relax a night or two once in a while…"

"I have my transponder always on, as well as the radio; you don't have to push yourself."

"I'll continue doing what I did before, Toshiro. You will leave us someday, and what will happen if I get sloppy?"

"Valid point…"

They jogged for a while longer, drank a glass of milk, and Toshiro returned to his tent for a short nap.

After Francesca woke him up, the same way as before, and Mami hailed them to breakfast, Toshiro asked Furuko.

"Hey, Furuko, can you take measurements for clothes?"

"Well, of course, Toshiro. You need a new uniform?"

"Not me…" Toshiro pointed to the uniform-less Shirley.

"Oh, right… Well, I can take measurements of her, if you insist."

"I don't 'insist', I'm merely 'requesting' it."

"Well okay…"

"Huh, what are you plotting?" Shirley asked.

"Nothing in particular… But follow Furuko after breakfast, okay?"

"But… But what about my guard duty?!" She protested aloud.

"I'll take the motorcycle and MG, and stay at your post while you measure Shirley, okay? I remember from my own experience that it will take some time, and having… additional things to measure, it could take even longer."

"Well, okay…" Furuko said.

"So I will be getting a new uniform? Yay! Parading in only my bra and panties isn't exactly my dream…"

After breakfast, Furuko and Shirley went their way, and Toshiro went to the shed. He took the MG, a spare box of ammo and he drove to Furuko's post.

After half an hour, he immediately gained immense respect for her. Despite it being about nine in the morning, the sun was scorching him relentlessly, and not a square centimeter of shade was visible. Suddenly, Toshiro remembered something. In a case attached to the side of the motorcycle, he found a blanket. He sat in the sidecar, covered himself with the blanket and only stuck out the MG facing forward to the road. He looked like a small makeshift pillbox. The fan on the MG's radiator also helped him a bit.

_"Yuki, why for fucks sake don't you have some sort of cooling magic at hand…?"_

_"Oh right, blame it on me! Not my fault your ancestor Keiko took a FLAME into herself… There were no Sacred Frostbites or Icicles around…"_

_"Ugh…"_

After another half-hour wait, he finally heard the Striker of Furuko. It was so hot outside of his makeshift tent that we preferred to stay in it until the last moment. He heard Ruko approaching his motorcycle, and slowing down. Then her face suddenly popped up in his small vision slot.

"Oh hi, Toshiro. Why are you emulating a pillbox?"

"Because it's hot as fuck… I admire you for standing in the sun for the whole day just like that…"

"Heheh… Years of practice… But anyway, here, the measurements." She passed on a piece of paper to him. "You can return now, I'm taking over."

"Thanks…"

He uncovered himself, and got stung in the eyes by the bright sun.

"Ow… Ow…"

_"Whoops, sorry…"_

After his vision improved, he got back to the base. After stowing the motorcycle back, he went into his tent.

"Hey, Toshiro, I got measured! Now what?"

"Watch and learn… But first…"

He went to the fridge and stuck his head inside, earning an honest laugh from both of the girls. Afterwards, he sat before the radio rack, and started asking for a certain man in Dover. After him being passed along to other people, he finally heard a familiar voice.

"Yyyeees? Smith and Son Tailors, at your service."

"Good morning, Mr. Smith."

"Hmmm… Oh my, young master? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, and I have a job for you."

"By Jove! And I thought you were dead… Well, that aside, what kind of task have you at hand, young master?"

"Well now, I want you to craft a uniform for my Liberian friend here in Africa."

"Give me the measurements, and I'll see what can be done, young master."

Toshiro started a whole litany of numbers.

"Ahh, so it's a woman, right? And from Liberion... Young master, would it be all right if I made a little practical joke with the uniform?"

"If it's not something offensive, fire away."

"Thank you, young master, I will do my work post haste. Who should I bill?"

"The Wehrmacht. I'm a Major there now."

"Well congratulations, young master. I'll ship the uniform in a few days. Good bye."

"Good bye."

Toshiro turned around, and saw that Shirley was about to explode from joy.

"Wait with your joy, Shirley, I'm not finished here."

He turned around, and made another connection, this time putting it through the microphone and loudspeaker.

"Yokosuka Naval Base, please state your business."

"Hi, Takeshi, is Mio around there somewhere?"

"Oh, Toshiro, it's you. She should be around the base, should I send for her?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, wait a minute."

"Woooooah! You will be talking to Mio? I want to talk to her to!" Shirley shouted.

"Me too!" Francesca joined.

"Actually… Francesca, run and fetch me Keiko, pronto."

"Yes!"

She ran out of the tent in hurry. Before Shirley could even utter a word, Francesca returned carrying Keiko over her head.

"What is the meaning of this?" Keiko asked.

"Wait a minute, you'll see, or rather hear."

"What…"

"Sssh!"

After a minute, the well-known voice of Mio was heard.

"Toshiro? What's up?"

"Nothing, Mio. How are things on your end?"

"I'm fine, if you really wanted to know that, but I seriously doubt it, hahaha! Yoshika was happy like a kid in a chocolate factory when she got the telegram from you. Generally, she is happier now, and her grades are starting to improve, although not above her previous level. And on my side, I'm planning to forge a sword, but I still need materials and some info…"

"Just please, don't overdo it. Want a surprise?"

"I hate surprises, but go for it."

"I have three listeners behind me that are eager to talk to you."

"Oh really? Who are they?"

"A redheaded Liberian, a boobaholic and someone who's fond of calling you 'Little Mio'."

"Hmmm… Hmmmm… You found yourself quite the company in Africa… Hey, Yeager, Lucchini, how's life?"

"Fine! Toshiro is really taking care of us!" Shirley shouted.

"And he let us sleep in his tent!" Francesca added.

"I could expect no less… Keiko… Long time no hear…"

Keiko approached the radio and said, "Your voice is as full of energy as ever, Little Mio."

"Stop calling me that, damn you! I'm twenty now!"

"Hahahah! Some habits never die… So you will be trying to master your sensei's technique, am I correct?"

"Yup, why else would I need a magic sword? You should see how Toshiro swings his, gods…"

"What do you mean? We all saw his sword, but he didn't show us sword techniques…"

"Well, maybe he didn't want to brag… That's really something to watch!"

"Maybe I can convince him to show something… Anyway, I have to return to work. Bye, Little Mio."

"Oh you… Bye, Keiko." She made a slight pause. "So, is there anything else you want to discuss, Toshiro?"

"No, I think we dried out our topic pool… Have a nice day, Mio."

"You too, Toshiro. Oh, and the two of you also have a good day!"

"Sure, thanks!" Shirley and Francesca shouted.

Toshiro cut off the transmission.

"Hey, Toshiro, maybe we should phone the rest of the gang too?"

"No… I would have trouble localizing them, and besides, I don't know if I'm permitted to reveal myself now…"

"Oh, well… But at least we got to talk to Mio, that's something!"

* * *


	26. Chapter 26 – Payback

Chapter 26 – Payback

A few days after Toshiro managed to become friends with the last two witches of the 31st, he started getting used to being their supervisor.

Keiko flooded him with paperwork, which he bravely managed to conquer with the help of Raisa.

Tina still didn't have a breakdown, and she was doing the odd patrols.

Mami was spoiling everyone with her meals, although she almost beheaded Francesca when her new cleaver slipped out of her hand at one occasion.

Furuko was doing her guard duty as usual, and combing Toshiro's hair on daily basis.

Matilda had to be calmed down again after reading 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

Shirley was staying out of the sun, reading books, and she was even permitted to do a shopping run with Francesca.

Francesca was still treating Shirley as a pillow, and bravely drinking her daily portion of milk.

The only thing that marred the idyllic setting for a brief moment was a distant cannonade, but after checking in with HQ, Keiko didn't send anyone into battle.

"Aaaah… Good milk is good…" Toshiro said.

"I think the milk quality improved a tad over the few days, don't you think, Toshiro?" Matilda asked.

"Beats me, the important thing is that it's cold and wet."

"Nothing like a good ol' pragmatic view on things…"

"You should seriously stop reading horror novels, Matilda. If I have to calm you down one more time, I'll sentence you to one week of reading erotic novels."

"But it's not my fault that they are so well written that my imagination is running wild…"

"Well, I must admit, that 'Dracula' gave me the goosebumps… But come on, vampires? Meh… Although after seeing what I saw, and knowing what I know…"

"What do you know?"

"Things about the very creation of the universe… Sadly, I can't talk about it, literally. Me knowing all of this is already a dangerous precedence… Oh, but I can tell you something after all."

"Please do, I'm always eager to learn something new."

"Atheists are wrong."

"Wha… Oh… Oh… Yes… Vague but to the point at the same time. I always knew that higher forces are at work…"

"Just don't go spouting that out to everyone, people hate it when they are told the truth…"

"My lips are sealed."

After a short nap and breakfast, Keiko had announced, "It's payday, gals!"

"Woohooo!"

Keiko handed out envelopes to the 31st JFS girls. Toshiro put on his best 'I don't give a crap' face.

_"I wonder how many of them remember…"_

_"You really are going to pull through your perverted punishment?"_

_"Yup."_

_"Hmmm… I think I'll allow it just to see how funny it will come out, heh…"_

Toshiro went to his tent and laid down on the bed. It wasn't long before the first 'clients' came in. The first one, giving example to the rest, was Keiko.

"So, Toshiro, how much do I owe you?"

"Hummmm… Considering how fine sushi you made, and some other things, I'll only charge you a shilling."

"Ooh, nice." She pulled out a coin out of her pocket and threw it to him. "Thanks!"

"No problem."

After a few minutes, Furuko came in.

"Toshiro, how much did the comb cost?"

"Ten pounds."

"The steel one!"

"Oh, well, that? Nine pence."

"Awfully cheap…" She approached him and gave him the money. "Much obliged, Toshiro."

"Likewise."

Shortly after she got out, Raisa came in.

"Um, Toshiro… I saw the girls coming in into your tent, and deducing from the fact that it's payday…"

"Well, you came… Oh fuck, I didn't give you the cards, right?"

"Heh, yes…" She put on a smile on her face.

Toshiro went to his desk, and pulled out the deck of cards. He threw it to Raisa and said, "On the house."

"Heehee, thanks."

The next one to come was Mami.

"Toshiro, my dearest cousin! How much money should I throw at you so you don't strip me naked and force me to run around the desert?"

"Guheheheh… Four shilling, my resolute cousin."

"Here you go!"

She literally threw the money at him.

_"Toshiro, why are you actually collecting this petty cash from these sand dwellers?"_

_"It's a matter of principle. If I started spoiling them, who know what would happen. Even though I have enough cash to buy the land under Tobruk, I have a feeling I would be drained quickly… Gods forbid I get posted near Paris or Rome, holy shit, my money…"_

"Heh, you know cousin… If I didn't fuck up two years ago I wouldn't even ask you for buying me stuff…"

"Oh? Do tell."

"You see… I got a package from my mother and… There was this weeeee bit of incense in it… We were in a hotel in Tobruk back then, and all the girls were with me. I put it on a mica plate, warmed it up, and passed it around. Tina was really impressed by the smell. Then I saw there was writing on the piece of paper the incense was wrapped in… It was from my mother… It described what 'flavor' of incense it was…"

"Let me guess… Some rare stuff?"

"Puh, you wouldn't guess how rare! It was Ranjatai, Toshiro!"

"Holy fuck! That legendary piece of Aloeswood gifted to Empress Suiko?! A piece as big as a nail is enough to buy a fucking castle!"

"You don't have to rub it in… Yeah, I burned a piece of Ranjatai just like that, poof! My hundreds of thousands of yen went to fuck themselves in the fumes…"

"Crap… How unlucky…"

"Yeah… Bye cousin, I have matters to attend to."

"Bye, Mami."

He waited for the last debt to be paid, namely that of Tina. Thus he waited. And waited. And waited some more. He read a book while he waited. Shirley and Francesca also did it. Tina was unheard of.

_Well then… It seems we have a candidate to get a bit… refreshed…_

After dinner, Toshiro tagged along with Tina into her tent, to the surprise of the latter. He sat with her on the sofa, and said, "Tina, do you know the concept of paying back debts?"

"Uhm, yeah… Why do you ask?" Tina asked clueless.

"Well, you see… Today was payday, and I still didn't get compensation for your 'tobacco'… The rest of the girls didn't need even half an hour to pay me back…"

"Um… Well… Uhhh… You see…"

"Tina… Do you remember what I said would happen to somebody who wouldn't repay me in time?"

"But I doubt you need my petty money… You are a walking cash bag for god's sake!"

"Ugh… It's a matter of principle, Tina… Argh… What should I do with you…?"

"Well fuck, do whatever you want with me… I doubt my explanations will satisfy you…" Tina pouted.

"So you have something for your defense? Please, state your line of defense, I'll listen carefully…"

"Well you see… I'm gathering money so I can hire a construction crew and build a solid base here… I want to keep it a secret and a surprise to everyone…"

"Aww… You could have told me in the first place… But I still have to punish you somehow… Hah! I know how!"

Tina's face was pale from anxiety.

"You'll let Francesca grope your tits until she's satisfied. Shirley and I will be watching."

Redness appeared on her cheeks, and she quietly said, "Is… Is that all?"

"Well, I might as well grope you myself…"

"That would be a bit too much… Okay, where's that little boobaholic…"

"As usual, in my tent."

"Let's go then…"

Both walked into the tent, much to the surprise of Shirley and Francesca. Tina approached Francesca, who was sitting on the bed, which made her visibly nervous. Then she started unbuttoning her uniform, and pulled of her bra.

"Have at it…" Tina mumbled.

Francesca's eyes widened to a dangerous level, and she shyly asked, "R-r-really? Can I grope you until my hands go numb?"

"Yes. It's my punishment for being late with repaying Toshiro…"

"WOOOOHOOOO!" Francesca shouted and grabbed the ample bust of Tina. "Ooooh… They are so firm and soft at the same time… Shirley… I need your boobs for comparison…"

"W-what?! You are groping them each day in my sleep you unsated pervert!"

"But I need them here and now! You don't want to lose to Marseille by forfeit, right?" She said with a devilish smile.

"No fucking way!"

She dropped her bra in an instant and stood aside of Tina. Francesca was now groping two different breasts with her hands.

"Hmmmm…. Hmmmm… Yeeesss…" She said with a wise man's tone. "Okay, you can put on your bras now."

As they did it, Francesca gave her verdict.

"While Shirley's boobs are bigger and much softer, Tina's have the right amount of firmness and shape… I would say it's a tie."

The two in question first looked at each other, and then yelled at Francesca with murderous intent in their eyes.

"A TIE?! NO WAY!"

"WAAAAAAAH!" She screamed and jumped on Toshiro's back. "Help me Toshiro, they want to kill me!"

"Now, now; don't pick on poor Francesca, okay?"

"Yeah, sure…" Shirley muttered.

"One day we will repeat this…" Tina mumbled with an angry face.

Tina went out of the tent, with Toshiro following her.

"Hey, Tina."

"What… Want to humiliate me even more?"

Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and grabbed a hundred pounds.

"It may look weird in this context, but here, for your base building endeavor."

"I… I can't accept such a wad of cash… Repaying you would be a bitch, and I'm already up to my neck in debts…"

"Too prideful for it? Come on, Tina, it's a just cause, stuff your pride in the socks and take the money."

"But…"

"You don't have to pay me back. You don't have to have sex with me if you are concerned about that. You don't have to do weird and humiliating things. You don't have to give me anything back. Take the money, while I still have a good mood…"

"Heh, okay…" She took the money from him and stuffed it in one of her pockets. "But I want to thank you anyway…"

"Oh?"

Tina suddenly hoisted herself up on his shoulders and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"There you go. A kiss from the Star of Africa, heheh."

"You know what… I do want something from you… Just now I remembered that Yoshika likes famous people. If you would spare me an autograph, I would be ever so happy."

"I suppose I can make an exception… Remind me to give it to you when you will be leaving us."

"Why not now?"

"I have to restock on photos, heh…"

"Hah, you do that! By the way you really look nicer without that jacket, heh…"

"How… do I look without anything?" She asked with red cheeks.

"10/10, would bang!" Toshiro gave her a thumb up with a cheeky smile.

Tina gave him slight nudge on the ribs in response.

"Hey, don't get too cheeky!"

"At least I can say I have a representative group of samples… The things I saw in Britannia…"

"You… You voyeur!"

"You actually compare quite nicely to the rest in terms of… external beauty…"

"Of course I do! All that milk I have drunk in my life profits now!"

"Then I should have Yoshika drink a gallon daily!"

"Huh? Why?"

Toshiro aligned his hand parallel to his chest, and moved it up and down a few times.

"Oh… Heheh… Love is blind it seems..." Tina said

"If I would only care about physical beauty, I would be banging Shirley every second night…"

"Did you have any… contact so to speak?"

"Who? Me and Shirley, or me and Yoshika?"

"Both, if you want to disclose any information…'

"The situation is simple with Yoshika – first base, and Shirley… eheheh…. Heheh…." Toshiro gave off a creepy laugh.

"No…"

"Well… Yes…"

"No!"

"Yes, and shut up already, or half of Cyrenaica will know about it."

"Okay, okay, I won't tell anyone… But tell me one thing: how was it possible, despite you having such a bitch predatory familiar?"

"Yuki was a bit shut in back then…"

"Oh, well… Have a nice day, Toshiro."

"You too, Tina."

"Hey, Toshiro. Furuko reported a courier is coming to the base with something for you." Keiko said on the transponder.

"Affirmative." Toshiro responded.

After a few minutes, a woman on a motorcycle identical to Shirley's drove up to Toshiro, who was standing at the entrance to the base.

"Being the only man here, I guess you are Toshiro?"

"Yes."

"Give me your signature..." She pointed out a spot on a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard. "…here, and we are finished."

Toshiro did that, and the woman pulled out a brown package out of the sidecar and gave it to him.

"Have a nice day, Major."

"You too… Uh…"

"People call me Seiko." She said with a cheeky smile and drove off.

Toshiro grabbed the package firmly, and felt that the content is some kind of fabric. The writing on the package confirmed it. He went into his tent, and said, "Hey, Shirley, something for you I guess."

She looked at Toshiro, than at the package, and dashed to him, pulling it out of his hands.

Shirley ripped open the paper, and lo and behold, a new white shirt and burgundy uniform, totally different from her previous one was in her hands.

Toshiro looked at it carefully, remembering what Mr. Smith told him about a practical joke he wanted to play out on Shirley. His brain added the numbers, and Toshiro burst out in laughter.

Shirley and Francesca were looking at him weird, but he soon calmed down.

"Toshiro, why were you laughing like a madman?"

"Well, heheh… Remember what your ancestor used to call Lynne's ancestors during the War of Independence?"

"Uhhh… Fucking tea chuggers?"

"Apart from that…"

"Hmm… Ah yes, redcoats!"

"So you see, this tailor I ordered the uniform from is by coincidence Britannian…"

"Hmmm… Oh… Ah… Hahahah! I see now! Oh that bastard!"

"I hope you're not angry…"

"No, no… This uniform looks really nice, although it's a tad… skimpy…"

"You know just by looking at it?"

"Yeah. But wait, I'll try it on."

She pulled on her new shirt and uniform, and asked, "So, how do I look?"

"Pretty!" Francesca shouted.

"It really is skimpy…" Toshiro said while looking at her bust. "But you look nice in it… Although there's something missing…"

"Huh, what?"

Toshiro fetched the torn uniform that was chucked away into the corner; he carefully pulled of the epaulets and attached them to Shirley new uniform.

"There you go, fit as a fiddle."

"Heh, thanks. And thanks for the uniform… You probably expect some compensation…"

"No I don't. And judging by your expression, you are poor as a church mouse."

"Well, I have a rainy day fund, but I doubt it would be enough… This uniform is really first class stuff…"

"Nah, it's on the house. Money likes being spent. Besides, I don't know how much it cost. Oh and… You parading with your tits barely covered… Ugggghhhhh…"

"Hahahah! You would have to be castrated and blind to not notice these knockers!" She said while pushing her breasts against Toshiro's chest.

"Guilty as charged…" Toshiro said while pushing her away.

The rest of the day went rather well, until Toshiro got a call.

"Hello, Major Edelweiss here."

"Good evening, Herr Major!"

"Herr Feldmarschall! What a surprise!"

"I'm sorry for calling at such an hour, but I have a request for you… You see, I heard you are a very apt mechanic, and from what I could gather about your friends from the former 501st, the Liberian is also talented in that field."

"That would be correct, Herr Feldmarschall."

"I would like you to undertake a challenge… Something only the best could pull off in these circumstances… I want you to field repair a tank."

"A what? Herr Feldmarschall, but what about the tools and…"

"You will get tools, spare parts, manuals and blueprints."

"I guess that's an order…" Toshiro sighed.

"You could treat it as one. If you manage to do this, you'll earn some points to your promotion."

"But why a field repair, Herr Feldmarschall? Why not send it to a repair depot?"

"Our repair depots are full already, and the next one is over 50 kilometers away. And… This is a prototype revision anyway, so our mechanics are only a bit more proficient than you."

"A prototype… Well, okay, Herr Feldmarschall, I'll undertake this challenge. Where and when will I repair the tank?"

"In your base. We will deliver it tomorrow."

"Deliver? How do you deliver a busted tank?"

"You'll see, Toshiro, you'll see… Have a good night's rest, you'll need it."

"If you say so, Herr Feldmarschall… Good night."

"Good night, Toshiro."

_Repairing a tank… I suppose I can do it… I saw a Chi-Nu Kai being repaired; it didn't look that hard… The weight of the parts could be a problem, but what do I have my strength enhancing magic for? Oh right, Mami can also help me! Hah, nothing to worry about, I can sleep easy._

* * *


	27. Chapter 27 - Red 131

Chapter 27 - Red 131

Shortly after he started jogging with Matilda the next morning, both heard a distinct engine sound afar. The sounds were alternating, so it was at least two vehicles. They waited for a while, and saw a peculiar thing: two turret-less tanks, with cranes mounted instead of them were towing a tank with its turret on. The tank had an immensely long gun, desert pattern camouflage and the red number 131 was painted on the turret side.

"So this is the tank I will repair…" Toshiro said under his nose.

"What is it, Toshiro?"

"Oh, Rommel called me yesterday and ordered me to repair a tank for him. And that seems to be my patient…"

"And can you do it?"

"Matilda, please… If it's mechanical, I can probably repair it. Anyway, I will get tools, parts and docs from them, so I won't have to improvise or repair it blindly. Also, I have Shirley as help, and she is almost as good as me, if not equal."

The three-tank column drove through the runway, surprisingly not plowing it through like a soggy field, and they stopped just outside of it. Now that they were closer, Toshiro saw a hole under the turret, a scrape on the underside of the gun barrel and the left track was pulled of, along with the front drive sprocket and the road wheel behind it.

Since the engines were loud, everyone got out of their beds half-asleep. Toshiro approached the tanks, and then, Rommel himself popped out one of turret-less tow tanks.

"Good morning, Toshiro."

"Whoa!" Toshiro shouted amazed.

"I would prefer a salute, but whatever. As you see, here is the tank for you to repair. It took two Bergetiger recovery vehicles to tow that magnificent piece of Karlslander engineering… Assess the damage, and get to work, I think that's all… Oh, hello Furuko!" He said and waved his hand.

Toshiro turned around, and saw Furuko blush wildly. The rest of the girls snickered, but Shirley and Francesca were still unmoved.

"Umm, Herr Generalfeldmarschall… Where is the left track of the tank?"

"Oh, right... Friederike, track please!"

Suddenly, a chained up tank track popped out of one of the Bergetiger, flew a meter up and landed besides the damaged tank.

"Thank you. That was Friederike Porsche. She is testing her new Land Striker in the desert, but I needed someone to do the lifting, so I nabbed her for this trip. She is fussy like hell right now, because the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf.I is the work of her rival, Henschel. She submitted her own tank in a contest, the VK 45.01 (P), but it broke down and had an engine fire during tests. I have to say that the test were done before the Kaiser on his birthday in '42… So anyway, she converted it into a Land Striker and hopes that it won't break down, heheh…"

A dark haired buxom beauty suddenly peaked out of the Bergetiger and started shouting.

"Damn you to hell, Rommel! If it wasn't for that little setback, we would be towing a tank of my design right now!"

"Yeah, yeah, dream on, Friederike. We wouldn't get enough copper to produce your funky electrical engines in a thousand years… Even Schmidt told you that."

"Ah pshaw…" She puffed her cheeks. "Oh, it's that Edelweiss guy you were talking about?"

"In the flesh. He would probably design a better tank than you, if he was ordered to."

"OOOH!" Friederike pouted heavily got back inside of the Bergetiger.

"Oh I like to piss her off so much… Okay, I left the tools and papers on the commander's seat in the turret; I hope you won't have any problems. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Herr Generalfeldmarschall…" Toshiro said with a small voice.

Rommel got into one of the Bergetiger, and on command, the cranes were detached, and the tank dropped onto that sand. The two recovery vehicles started their engines, turned around and scooted back to where they came from.

"Uh… Toshiro… What the hell was that about?" Keiko asked Toshiro after approaching him from the side.

"Rommel told me to repair this tank."

"Uhuh… Right… Well, I suppose you have something to work with right now, correct?"

"Not only me. I plan to ask Shirley and eventually Mami for help."

"Repairing a tank?! Count me in!" Shirley shouted with never-ending enthusiasm.

"If Toshiro wants it, I'll help him!" Mami shouted proudly. "But first you all need breakfast! Don't you start work without a meal, Toshiro!"

"Yeah, yeah… I'll just fetch the papers…"

Toshiro approached the sturdy, box shaped tank, and jumped up on its two-meter high hull. He opened the hatch in commander's cupola with ease, and peeked inside the turret. Toshiro slowly lowered himself inside, careful not to step on the commanders seat, on which a stack of papers was lying. He also saw that there were two wrenches there, which he left for now. A small key was lying on the stack of papers, which he hid in his pocket.

"Impressive… Maybe not a limousine, but it is rather spacious… I can't wait to visit every nook and cranny here!"

He got out of the tank, and waited for breakfast in his tent.

"So, Toshiro, what will we have to do?"

"Huh, what?" He asked surprised. "Oh, I was immersed in reading now. Yeah, so… Apart from reattaching some road wheels and the left track, we will have to tighten it so it won't fall off. Also I saw a hole under the turret, so we will have to check the turret traverse mechanisms. And of course, we will have to check if the engine is good."

"Ooooh! I can't wait to drive this tank!"

"And who told you that, huh?"

Shirley looked at him as if he was the last saint on Earth.

"Oh okay, you can take a ride in it… actually… no, first we repair it."

"Yay!"

_So from what I found out, this is an experimentally upgraded version of the Tiger I. Compared to the Ausf.E, it has the 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56, which was already good, replaced with the monstrous KwK 43 L/71. Also, the Maybach HL230 P45 engine, which put out about 700 PS, was replaced by the turbocharged HL234, which has a staggering power output of 900 PS. The ventilation system was replaced with an improved one, which had two speeds, and a particle filter. They also fitted it with a brand new PA system._

During breakfast, Toshiro read the tank's crew manual, the Tigerfibel. It was a truly witty manual, with humorous instructions and illustrations, designed so that every Hans or Johan that could read would understand how to operate the tank in a jiffy.

"Hey, cousin, don't read during meals, it's rude!"

"Don't interrupt people while they are reading and eating, it's also rude." Toshiro retorted.

"Humph!" She pouted.

After breakfast, he analyzed the blueprints and servicing instructions. By about 1100, he was ready.

"Shirley, come on, it's time."

"Woohoo!"

She followed him out of the tent. Toshiro went before the tent of the three girls and shouted.

"Hey, Mami! I need your help with the tank!"

After ten seconds, Mami shot out of the tent as if propelled by a jet engine.

"Warrant Officer Inagaki reporting for duty with her beloved cousin!" She saluted.

"At ease, Mami! Say, does anyone beside you have strength related magic?"

"Well, Tina I believe."

"Good…"

He approached Tina's tent and shouted.

"Come out Tina, time to do some community service!"

After a long minute, she got out of her tent, with a rather irritated look on her face.

"Don't make such a face; you'll serve your country. Perhaps rather indirectly, but still."

"Oh okay…"

The self-proclaimed repair crew of the 31st JFS went to the Tiger tank.

"So, what's the plan?" Shirley asked.

"I'll get the big wrenches from the inside now. Mami, unfold the track. Tina, dig a little hole where a road wheel is missing."

"Roger!" They all responded.

"And me?" Shirley asked.

"Wait a second; you'll have some work to do."

"Kay…"

Toshiro went inside of the tank, and felt as if he crossed the gates of hell. The sun had heated up the interior to over fifty degrees, making it unbearable to sit inside. He crawled into the back of the hull's crew compartment and pulled a lever, turning on the ventilation at the first speed to conserve the batteries.

Or so he thought.

"Oh right, I have to turn the power on…"

He crawled up to the instrument panel of the driver, and turned the ignition key to position '1'. After he did that, the ventilation awoke.

He opened the latch on the emergency hatch located on the right side of the loaders position, and the eighty-millimeter thick, heavy piece of metal fell down with a clang. He threw out the wrenches outside, and climbed out. A radio antenna was mounted just outside, on the right side of the hull. After picking up the wrenches, he returned to the girls.

Tina dug a hole as instructed, Mami unfolded the track, guide horns up, and Shirley was lying in the sun bored.

"I see you gals are making progress. Wait just a few seconds, Shirley."

"Kay…" She mumbled.

Toshiro noticed earlier that the massive road wheel and the drive sprocket where tied down with rope to the engine deck. He climbed up, cut the rope with his sword, and threw both the parts down.

"Okay…" He said from up. "I will now attach the sprocket, unless anyone wants to do it for me."

"Oh! Can I?" Shirley raised her hands.

"Sure."

She ran up to the sprocket, which was only slightly over a meter in diameter, grabbed it, and grunted heavily, trying to lift it.

"Crap… It's too heavy…" She muttered.

Out of the blue, Tina walked up, activated her magic, lifted the sprocket, placed it on its rightful place, turned the bolts a bit so it would stay and said, "There you go red head."

"Thanks…" She mumbled.

"I can help you with the road wheel if you want."

"Yes, please…" Shirley said with a pouty face.

Shirley took the second wrench, and attached the road wheel, which had eighty centimeters in diameter, while Tina held it up.

"Good work girls, but now… Well, this will be fun. We need to lift one side of the tank to get the track underneath the road wheels."

"WHAT?!" A collective shout of disagreement was heard.

"Oh come on, it's only 58 tons… Tina and I will surely lift it…"

"Bah… Wah… Ugh…" Tina mumbled unintelligibly.

"Come on, I know you can do it! You are the Star of Africa!" Toshiro incited Tina with a sly smile.

"Oh yes I can!" She shouted with pride written all over her face.

"Good! Now here's the plan. Tina and I lift the tank, while you, Mami, place the track on its place. You see how the road wheels go?"

"Yeah, and?"

"You have to place the tracks, so the guiding horns fit between them."

"Okay!"

"Just be sure to place them in a way that will enable Shirley to link the tracks."

"Sure thing, cousin!"

Toshiro jumped down from the hull on the ground.

"So, should I do it with or without my shirt?" He asked with a wry smile.

"Without!" The girls shouted in unison.

Toshiro took off his shirt, unveiling the body of a demi-god, as if chiseled by an ancient sculptor.

"Woah, Toshiro, you got even more ripped compared to August!" Shirley shouted impressed.

"Well yeah, I've been training… Okay, Tina, come on, grab the hull over the tracks."

Tina placed her hands in said place, as did Toshiro.

"Mami ready?"

"Ready!"

"Okay Tina, on three… One… Two… Three!"

Toshiro and Tina concentrated all their magic and physical strength on lifting the side of the tank. They would only need to lift it up about twenty centimeters, so the track could be slid in under the road wheels.

However, despite Tina's forehead veins bulging, and Toshiro's biceps' almost ripping apart his skin, the tank didn't budge.

"It's useless!" Tina shouted.

"Oh no… Some tin can won't resist me!"

Flames swirled around Toshiro as he released a wild shout, lifting the tank over fifty centimeters. Alas, he also let one rip at the same time, spewing a five-meter long fire out of his derriere.

"Well fuck, there's goes the epicness of the moment…" Toshiro said while trying to contain his laughter.

Shirley was rolling around in the sand laughing like crazy, and Mami could barely walk while cackling. Tina despite having a tense face was visibly giving up.

"Mami, for the love of Amaterasu, faster!"

"O… hahahah… okay… haha…"

As Mami finished placing the track, Toshiro simply dropped the steel behemoth on the sand. At the same time, Tina started to giggle covering her face.

"Yeah, yeah, have a laugh..."

After the girls stopped laughing, Toshiro approached the track, pulled it over the drive wheel, and linked the ends with his bare hands.

"Well now… Okay, Shirley, there a track tension regulating mechanism in the rear of hull, just besides the tracks. Operate it until I tell you too stop, okay?"

"Okay."

"Tina, help her unscrew the panel."

"Sure…"

After a minute, Toshiro said, "Okay, stop! The track is now perfect. Now we need to check the engine."

"Wooo!" Shirley shouted with enthusiasm.

"Will we be necessary?" Tina asked, pointing out to Mami.

"Yes, in a few minutes, I'm worried that we will still have to do some heavy lifting."

"Ugh… Okay, I'll just drop in the shadow of the tank…"

"Hey, don't hog it all by yourself!" Mami protested.

Toshiro jumped on the engine deck, and extended a hand to Shirley, who grabbed it with pleasure. He opened all the panels, revealing the engine and filters.

"Okay now, let's just check all the cables and filters for now."

"Sure thing!"

Shirley pulled out one of the filters, which had enough sand in it to make a small castle. Toshiro noticed a loose cable, which he repaired. After clearing all the filters, Toshiro closed the panels and said:

"Well now… You know what we will do now, right Shirley?"

"You mean… Oh!"

"Yes, yes. Open the drivers hatch, it's in the front of the hull roof on the left."

Shirley approached the hatch with a visor atop.

"This one?"

"Yeah, open it and slide in, I'll tell you how to run this beast."

Toshiro went into the turret through the emergency escape hatch. The air in the tank was already much cooler compared to what he suffered just a while ago. He saw Shirley squirming around in the driver's seat, looking around at all the levers and doohickeys.

"Toshiro, this looks just a little bit more complicated than a truck! I mean there are three pedals, a steering wheel, although it looks like a pretzel."

"That's the point, Shirley. Wait a second, I'll prime the gas pump, and we'll be ready."

Toshiro crawled down into the same place where the fan control was located. He opened the petrol valves, and primed the petrol pump. He then went behind Shirley and started instructing her.

"Okay now, right beside the right of your posterior is the choke lever. Give it a pull."

She pulled the lever.

"Okay, and to your left front is a handbrake. Pull it."

She did as she was told.

"Now, besides your right knee, is a drive direction selector. Make sure it's set to neutral."

"It is."

"Good. See that knob above it? You have to press it to use the selector, remember it."

"Sure, sure, go on."

"Okay… The knob with the number besides it is the gear selector. You change gears like in a normal car."

"Yeah."

"Since the steering wheel is already centralized… Look on the panel to your right. Notice that the rev counter and the boost pressure have colors on it. Never, ever in a million years go into the red zone, unless it's an emergency."

"Who do you think I am?"

"A godforsaken speed freak."

"Heheheheheh…" Shirley laughed dryly.

"I'm serious."

"Yeah, yeah. Jawohl Mein Fuhrer or something like that…"

"I'm not your Fuhrer, but whatever… Okay, see that T-shaped thingie sticking out of the instrument panel?"

"Yeah."

"It's the ignition key. It's now in '1' position, which means we have power to the electric installation. Switch it to '2'."

Shirley grabbed the ignition key, and turned it slightly to the right with an audible click.

"And now… Foot on clutch, and hold that green button!"

Shirley quickly stomped on the clutch, and held the green button. The starting motor gave of a whiz and then the majestic 25-liter V12 engine roared across the desert.

_Whew… We don't need to hand crank it…_

"M-may I give it some revs?!"

"You have to! Bump it to a thousand!"

She gently pressed the accelerator, and the roar of the engine intensified as the RPM needle went steady up to a thousand.

"This… This… THIS IS SO FUCKING HARDCORE!" Shirley shouted with a half-orgasmic face.

"Heheheh… Okay, I'm going to try to rotate the turret now! Keep the revs at this level for a minute or two!"

"Sure thing!"

Toshiro crawled up to the gunner's seat. A pedal controlled the turret rotation, so Toshiro pressed it. A whiz of the servomotors was heard, but the turret didn't budge a bit.

"Shirley, pound the revs to 2500!"

"Understood!"

The engine started revving up, and the turbo charger came on with an unhuman whistle.

Toshiro pressed the pedal once again, but nothing happened.

"Okay, drop it to idle!"

Toshiro crawled back to the commander's seat, and tried hand cranking the turret, but it also wouldn't budge.

"Shirley, kill it!"

"Okay…" She said disappointed sadly and pressed the red button.

The engine stopped, and silence rang in their ears.

"So, what's wrong?"

"The turret is jammed somehow… Okay, out we go."

Shirley went out through the drivers hatch, and Toshiro through the commander's hatch.

"Woah, cousin that was so loud!" Mami shouted with sparkling eyes.

"Heh… Okay, I'll have a job for you and Tina now."

"What is it?" Tina asked.

"We'll both have to lift the turret, while Mami looks into the turret ring."

"More lifting? I hope you don't spew fire out of your ass like last time, bueheheheheh…"

"Ha…Ha… This time it's only about eleven tons plus gun weight, so it will be a piece of cake."

The two heavy lifters positioned themselves on the turret sides, with their feet on the hull edges. Mami was hunching down before the gun mantlet.

"Ready, Tina?"

"Ready."

"Mami?"

"Ready!"

"Well then… Heave… Ho!"

They lifted the turret up rather easily, compared to the lifting the whole tank.

"Mami, do you see anything?"

"Yeah, it's a piece of a shell. It was jammed in the turret ring."

"Is the mechanism undamaged?"

"Only smoldered!"

"Okay, get out of there."

As Mami peeked out, Toshiro and Tina dropped the turret.

"Here, Toshiro, this is what I found."

She gave him a mangled piece of metal, tungsten judging by the color and weight.

"Well… This is interesting… This piece of metal jammed the turret traverse… Such a small thing…"

"Toshiro… Are you perhaps implying something…?"

"You should really get over that height complex of yours…"

"Eheheh…"

"Shirley, let's get back in."

"With pleasure!"

After Shirley started the engine, Toshiro tried rotating the turret. It started moving without a hitch, with a steady speed of six degrees per seconds.

"How god-awful slow…" Toshiro mumbled. "Okay, leave it on idle for a while!"

"Roger!"

"Why the fuck are we shouting…"

Toshiro pointed out at the headphones over Shirley's head. She looked up, took it from the hook and put it on. Toshiro did the same with the headphones over his head. He flipped the switch on the cable in a visible manner, and Shirley followed.

"Much better, huh?"

"Yeah, heh… What are you going to do now?"

"Since we completed the first parade, we are going for a joy ride!"

"No way!"

"Way!"

"WOOOOOOO!"

"Just tell me - does Francesca know how to use a radio?"

"Yeah, I taught her how to do it. We had such a nice SCR-300 portable radio with us, but it got busted while we were driving to this base…"

"Aw… What a shame… Well anyway, wait here for a second, kay?"

"Kay!"

Toshiro took off his headphones, and peeked outside of the turret.

"Tina, Mami, get your sweet asses inside, double time!"

"Seriously?" Tina asked.

"Yeah, seriously."

The first one to enter was Tina. Toshiro pointed out the gunner's seat for her. When Mami got in, showed he to close the hatch. Afterwards, she pointed to the headphones over their heads, and how to power them on.

"So, now we only need the radio operator."

"For what?" Tina asked.

"We are going for a ride with this monster. Tina, you will be the gunner, Mami will be the loader. I'll show you the ropes once we have our crew complete."

The two looked dumbfounded at him.

"Don't worry, it's easy. Shirley, engine to 2000 RPM and we are going to pick up Francesca."

"You want me to drive inside the base?"

"Yeah."

"Mwahahahah, all right!"

Shirley shifted gears, enabled the forward direction and after a slight shake they went forward.

Toshiro peeked out through the visors in the cupola. Shirley had enough space to safely drive into the base, turn on the spot and go back.

After she drove to the center, Keiko and Francesca jumped out of her tent.

Shirley put the tank into neutral, opened her hatch and peered out.

"Lucchini, come on, we are going for a ride!"

"Whoa, with a tank?! Weeee! How do I get in?

"Toshiro?"

"Look to your right, there's a hatch for the radio op."

Shirley relayed the information, and Francesca quickly crawled inside. After she pulled on the headphones, Toshiro explained.

"You will be our radioman, and MG operator on this trip. I just hope we won't have to use anything from the tanks armaments."

"Awkay!" She shouted joyfully and started flipping switches.

Toshiro felt someone poking him on the head, and saw Keiko squatting over the hatch.

"I can see your panties, Keiko. If you can call those panties…"

She immediately fell flat on the turret roof.

"Goddamn pervert! Anyway, what are you planning?"

"A ride with the tank, the girls deserved it. Unfortunately, there's no more space…"

"Nah, don't worry. I'll stay in the base, and Matilda would be scared panty-less to ride a tank."

"Heh… Okay, as you wish."

"How will you turn with this thing anyway?"

"You'll see. Shirley, do a 180 degrees turn, we are driving out of the base through the runway."

"Roger!"

She shifted into forward gear, and turned on the spot.

"Pivot turning, Keiko."

"Impressive… Have a nice trip!"

"Thanks!"

Toshiro took off the headphones, and went up to Tina. He explained how to set the distance on the gun, turn the turret, fire the coaxial MG and fire the gun itself.

He then went to Mami, and they browsed through the available shells. On the rack behind them, there were a few ABCBC-HE shells, and in the compartment under them, there were APCR shells. He tried loading the gun himself first. He opened the breech, rammed a shell in and the breech closed itself.

_Wah! Almost got my fingers clipped!_

"You got it?"

"Yup, cousin! My 88 loads in an identical way!"

"Good. Be sure to do it with your knuckles, because as you see, the breech closes automatically after shell insertion, and your finger might get snipped. Anyway, do you see this knob on the right of the gun? It's a safety. You have to turn it to the center position if you want Tina to fire."

"Sure!"

He returned to his position, and through the PA system, he asked, "Francesca, radio ready?"

"Ready! And I loaded the MG!"

"Good girl! Shirley, Panzer Vor!"

"What do you need pants for?"

"Just drive…" Toshiro sighed.

After riding for a few kilometers, he ordered Shirley to stop.

"What's this sandstorm before us…? If only I had… Oh right!"

He went out of the tank, and opened the case mounted on the back of the turret. Inside, there was a pair of binocular telescopes. He climbed inside of the turret, and mounted the telescope on the cupola. Peering through it, he saw something moving inside of the sandstorm.

"Tina, have a look, you are an expert."

She left the gunner seat, and peeked through the binoculars.

"Oh fuck… One… Two… Three Turtles! What do we do?!"

"We use what we have! On your seat, Tina, we are engaging them!"

"Yes sir!"

"Francesca, report this to Keiko."

"Roger!"

"Tina, distance 2100, azimuth 18, four targets!"

"Understood!"

The turret moved slightly to the right for three seconds.

"Mami, ready the next shell!"

"Okay!"

She picked up another black-red banded shell, which was slightly over a meter long.

"Target acquired!" Tina shouted.

"Fire!"

Tina pressed the trigger and unleashed the powerful 88 mm projectile. The tank wobbled slightly, and a thunderous sound was heard.

Meanwhile, the projectile flew across the desert and eliminated one of the Turtles.

"Mami, load shell!"

As the breach opened, the empty casing banged against the shell bouncer and landed on the shell catcher. She loaded another shell in less than three seconds.

"Target acquired!"

"Fire!"

Another loud bang was heard, and another Turtle bit the dust.

"Mami, shell."

"Target acquired!"

"Shell loaded!"

"Fire!"

As with the previous two, the last Neuroi had a similar fate to his brethren.

"Yes!" Tina cheered.

"Good job!" Toshiro praised her. "Oh fuck… Oh fuck… Tina… Is there something larger that a Turtle?" Toshiro asked with a shaky voice.

"Yeah, Large Turtles, but why…" She immediately looked through the gun scope. "Sweet Virgin Mary!"

From the sandstorm, a Neuroi roughly five times bigger than a normal Turtle emerged.

"Toshiro, we don't stand a chance against it! Even this gun can only expose the core, but before we shoot another round, it will regenerate!"

"Fuck…"

Suddenly, the barrel of the Neuroi's cannon started shining with a red glint.

"Toshiro, he's preparing to fire! We have to run!"

"Shirley, full speed ahead, hide us behind that dune! I'm popping smoke!"

"Roger!"

Toshiro flipped the switches on a panel above him. He heard that the launchers on both sides of the turret launched smoke grenades. Shirley tortured the engine as she was making a run for the dune. Suddenly, a red beam pierced the smoke, exactly in the spot where their tank was a few seconds ago.

"Whew… We are safe for now… But that thing is probably on to us…" Shirley said with a heavy voice.

"I have an idea…" Toshiro said. "I'll serve as a decoy, while you flank him."

"It's madness!" Mami shouted.

"Trust me, that shit won't hit me for nothing." Toshiro said with a smug face. "Francesca, when I shout 'Fire', you tell Tina to fire. Mami, load a shell already."

"Roger!" Both responded.

"Tina, where's the core usually on those Neuroi?"

"Right behind the cannon."

"Hmmm… Okay, I'm off then."

"Take care, Toshiro." Shirley said with a concerned voice.

Toshiro went out of the tank and summoned his sword.

_"Um, Toshiro, why don't you just fuck it over with the Shin Reppuzan?"_

_"And let the girls have less fun? Fiddlesticks! Besides, if the brass gets wind that I actually employed some tactics instead of brutal overpowered strength, they might evaluate me better."_

_"I see… Well, off you go."_

Toshiro concentrated magic in his legs, and jumped forward. The tank sat down quite heavily as Toshiro lunged across a whole kilometer with one jump. He then started running at an unearthly speed towards the Neuroi.

It took notice of Toshiro, firing small beams at him, neither of which hit him. About five hundred meters before it, he started circling it in a rather normal speed. The Neuroi turned around him, missing each shot consequently.

Toshiro looked before him as he almost completed the circle. The girls were powering through the open space after coming out from behind the dune. He could hear the whiz of the turbocharger from here.

"Now, Neuroi, time for you to get whacked!"

He jumped upwards and split Aganaimaru into two separate smaller swords. The sword glowed in a faint blue color, and Toshiro shouted.

"Cross Shot Rending Gale!"

He swung his swords in minimal intervals, and the attacks joined in an X-shaped pattern. It hit the Neuroi with tremendous force, causing the Neuroi to start falling apart, exposing its core.

"Francesca, fire!"

Toshiro couldn't help himself but to slow down the time flow.

Falling down, he saw that the muzzle flash slowly blooming out of the barrel of the tank gun. The double baffle muzzle break made a fine muzzle flash, and he saw the almost eleven-kilogram projectile coming in at over 1100 m/s. He could see as it was rotating, due to the rifling of the barrel.

As it impacted with the Neuroi's core, the latter started slowly shattering in a crystalline pattern. Then the delayed fuse sprung in, detonating the filling explosive, ripping a big hole in the already dissolving Neuroi's body.

_Boomdeeyada!_

Toshiro fell down on the soft sand.

"Whew… I'm pooped… That high speed running sure has a hefty stamina cost… I can't even stand up… I'll just lie down…"

The clattering of tank tracks and roar of the enormous engine woke him up. He slowly opened his eyes, and saw that the tank stopped a few meters before him. The girls started pouring out of it from every possible hatch.

They surrounded him from all directions, picked him up and started throwing him up, cheering loudly.

"To-shi-ro! To-shi-ro! To-shi-ro!"

"You girls are just too kind…"

"You are even lengths ahead of me on land you… you… you… oh I don't even know how to name you!" Shirley shouted.

"Heehee, Shirley is jealous!" Francesca giggled.

"Good job, Toshiro! I racked in four kill thanks to you, bueheheheh!" Tina laughed ordinarily.

"Hey, shouldn't the kills be split amongst us?" Mami asked.

"Heh…" Toshiro muttered. "The kills will be pinned on me, actually. That's how it works."

"Snap!" Tina shouted.

"Although, I don't believe there was an all-witch tank crew in history, right?"

"I don't believe there was one, yeah…" Tina muttered.

"But anyway, let's go back."

"Yeah!" All the girls shouted.

They placed Toshiro in his seat, and slowly drove back to the base, just in time for Mami to make dinner.

Sometime around 1800, a truck drove by to the base. The whole 31st including Toshiro, who had to write a ton of reports, went to greet it. Horbie was the driver as usual, but the one besides her was also a well-known face.

"Welcome again, Toshiro."

Everyone saluted.

"Welcome back, Herr Generalfeldmarschall. Came back to pick up your precious toy?"

"Straight to the point, huh? Yes, I came back for the tank, of which I heard you made good use of?"

"Well yes, I have already written reports on the whole incident."

"Very good, but I want to hear it on first account."

"So it started when…"

Thus, Toshiro related the whole battle with the Neuroi, as well as his repair endeavor with intricate details. The girls helped him fill some blanks, much to the amusement of Rommel, because they weren't discrete enough about SOME details.

"I see… Very good work, Toshiro. I suppose I should give you a medal or promote you on the spot, but… I have received orders not to… Something about spoiling you…"

"Heh… I can guess who issued it… Thank you anyway, Herr Generalfeldmarschall. Is the tank crew on the back of the truck?"

"Yes." He turned back and shouted: "Männer, Loss (Come on men)!"

The five men came out of the back of the truck. Four of them were plain soldiers, neither of which were officers. Only one man with bushy brows, a slink face, swept back hair and a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves caught the eye of Toshiro. The man approached him, saluted and said:

"Oberleutnant Otto Carrius, I'm the commander of this tank."

"At ease." Toshiro said. "It's a fine machine, Oberleutnant Carrius. How did it get to get damaged so badly?"

"Ah well, Herr Major, we had a joint operation with the Britannians. One of the Neuroi shot of our track, damaging the drive sprocket. A Churchill tank shot the Neuroi, but the kinetic force of the projectile was so big, that it went through the enemy, bounced off the gun barrel of my tank and wedged itself under the turret."

"So that's how it landed there…"

Toshiro pulled out something out of his pocket and gave it to Carrius.

"Here, we pulled this from the turret ring."

"Oh, thank you, Herr Major, it will be a magnificent keepsake."

"Yes… Well, have a nice evening."

"I certainly will, Herr Major."

A minute after he disappeared inside of the tank, the engine roared and the tank started moving, slowly driving out of the base.

"Toshiro, how is it going for you?" Horbie suddenly asked from behind.

"Oh… Well, it's nice here. I got to know all the girls, and even had a tank battle, heh…"

"How nice… Well, on my side, I had ten kills."

"Magnificent!"

"Heehee… Well, evening then."

"Evening."

Horbie went inside of the truck, and went off with Rommel after the tank.

Toshiro spent the rest of the day on lying in the bed and reading.

Sometime before his tent mates fell asleep, a radio communique was broadcasted.

**21 Uhr und eine Minute. Der Reichssender Tobruk und die angeschlossenen Sender. Wir bringen heute den Wehrmachtsbericht.**

**Am Nachmittag Ortszeit, der Aufseher des 31ste Jagdesgeschwader ‚Afrika', Major Toshiro Edelweiss, assistiert bei Der Stern von Afrika, Hauptmann Hanna-Justina Marseille, Hauptmann von die Armee von Liberion, Charlotte E. Yeager, Leutnant des Romagnisches Armee, Francesca Lucchini und ein Oberfeldwebel des Imperiales Kriegsmarine von Fuso, hat drei ‚Schildkröte' Typ Neuroi und einen ‚Gros Schildkröte' Typ Neuroi zerstört. Was bemerkenswert ist, ist das Sie haben nicht ihren Striker benutz, sondern ein Tiger Panzer die sie einigen Minuten früher reparierten. Generalfeldmarschal Erwin Rommel hat Sie nach den Gefecht persönlich gratuliert.**

"Toshiro, what's the hubbub?" Shirley asked. "I believe I heard our names…"

"You know what… We've been deeply honored… That, my girls, was the Wehrmachtsbericht. Do you know the term 'Mentioned in Dispatches'?"

"Mmmm… Yeah, I had one mention!"

"Hah, nice! Well, basically, they mentioned that our crew destroyed the 4 enemies with a tank we just repaired, and that Rommel congratulated us personally."

"Not bad. But won't Minna and the rest get wind of us that way?"

"Nah. It's probably a low range broadcast. They mentioned it's being broadcasted from Tobruk, so the signal probably dies out somewhere around Egypt."

"Ah, kay. Well, now you'll probably have trouble sleeping, huh?"

"Meh…"

"Night, Toshiro." Francesca said.

"Night."

"Night."

"Night, Shirley."

As he was about to fall asleep, a foul stench reached his nose. He sniffed around, and ascertained that the source of the smell were his armpits.

_Ugh… I have to take a bath… Wonder where I can get one…_

* * *

**I really spent some time studying the construction of a Tiger tank. My main source of info was a five part pseudo-documentary made by Wargaming. Search this on YT:**

**Inside the Tanks - Episode V Part I - The_Challenger presents "The Tiger" - World of Tanks**

**The KwK 43 L/71 has some different mechanism, one being the safety. I still don't know how the breech was operated in detail to be honest, so I made an estimate. (I saw some footage of soldiers firing a PAK, and it had a breech operated the way I described it.)**

**So if anyone has any remarks, I'll gladly change the tech details and credit the person properly. :3**

* * *

**Want to know how a V12 Maybach engine sounds like? This is what you should search for on YT:  
**

Königstiger Motorstart und Gas geben

Restored WW2 Tiger Tank 131 At Bovington Tank Museum 2013

"The Roar of the Tiger" Maybach Engine

* * *


	28. Chapter 28 – Patton Girls Pandemonium

Chapter 28 – Patton Girls Pandemonium

As usual, Toshiro was out on his morning jog with Matilda.

"Hey, Matilda, you know where I could take a dip around here?" He asked, starting off their morning conversation.

"The port." She answered straightforwardly.

"That's not exactly a bath I'm looking forward to…"

"You should ask Kei, she will help you with your quest for a bath."

"Well, thanks for the tip."

After the jog, Toshiro visited Keiko in her tent, who was still in her bed.

"What bring you here today, Toshiro?"

"Matilda said you could help me find a way to take a bath."

"Go take a dip in the port."

Toshiro looked at her with cold eyes.

"Okay, okay…" She giggled under her nose. "We have a deal with General Patton and his girls, so we can take a bath once every week. Nothing fancy though, just oil barrels filled with hot water."

"And why can't we do the same here?"

"Water is scarce here, Toshiro. The damn Liberians found a near endless water deposit under Gabr Saleh, so they built a base there."

"And I imagine it will cost me, huh?"

"Not that much… Only one pound for a half hour bath."

"Steep… But I reek like Gallian cheese… And I believe Shirley and Francesca wouldn't mind taking one either…"

"So should I phone them over in advance?"

"Yes please, table for three, heheh…"

"You and your tent mates have permission to go there." Keiko said after a short conversation over the phone. "Take your Strikers and have a nice one."

"Thank, Keiko, much appreciated."

"Now go out of my tent, you really stink…"

He wanted to turn back, but something caught his eye. It was the trumpet hanging over Keiko's bed.

"Hey, Keiko, about that trumpet?"

"You want it? I can give it to you!" She said with enthusiasm.

"Gah, what?! Why so fast to dispose of it?"

"I ordered it on some stupid whim… I wanted to play bugle calls for wakeup, but the girls are organized as it is…"

"I can't play a trumpet either but… I can try to learn, I mean I know the melody for some bugle calls…"

"I'll give you the trumpet when you'll be transferring out of here, so you won't have some stupid ideas, heh…"

"Okay. Now for some breakfast, and off I go!" Toshiro went back to his tent.

"Hey you two, wake up."

Shirley slowly opened her eyes, and with a groggy voice she asked, "What is it…?"

"I have a surprise for you two."

"Oh…?"

"We will be going to a remote base, in which we will be permitted to take a barrel bath."

"Woah, seriously?! My cooch is already…" Shirley blushed heavily. "Oh, heheh… you don't need to know that…"

_I truly don't…_

"Waah… What's the commotion?" The sleepy Francesca asked.

"We are going bathing, Lucchini!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yup, Toshiro said it."

"WOOOOAH! Finally! I feel that a little more and I would have to use a crowbar to rip off my panties…"

_Unnecessary for fucks sake!_

They passed the time listening to the radio. At breakfast, Toshiro asked Keiko, "Hey. Keiko, where is this Gabr Whatchacallit actually?"

"Gabr Saleh? Oh, heh, I didn't show you… It is about 75 kilometers south-west from Tobruk. I'll show it on a map after breakfast."

"Cousin, let's go bowling!" Mami suddenly shouted.

"Bowling in the middle of the desert?" Toshiro asked stupefied.

"Those damn Liberians have a bowling alley in their base! I want one too!"

Toshiro shot a quick glance to Tina, to which she gave an understanding wink.

"Maybe someday, Mami. Now I have to take care of my personal hygiene."

After breakfast, before he followed Keiko, Toshiro asked Furuko about yesterday.

"Hey, Ruko."

"What is it, Toshiro?"

"I noticed that you are rather familiar with Rommel… Care to elaborate?"

"Oh… Heh… Well, it was just after I got here. I was a newbie back then. I was just into Africa, walking three days straight through the desert, because some Romagnans tricked me into believing it would be quicker if I took the straight approach. Then, a halftrack with General Rommel and his men rolled out from behind a rock, with full speed. I wanted them to take me in, but in a second, a gigantic scorpion like Neuroi came into view. I was petrified from fear; however, a few seconds later Tina and Raisa came flying in, scaring off the Neuroi. The last thing I remember was General Rommel approaching me… Kei later told me that Rommel took me on his hands, and ran around the base shouting after a medic… So embarrassing…"

"Geheheh… Poor you… Thanks for sharing, one less thing to bother me."

"No problem."

Toshiro went into Keiko's tent. She had a map placed on the table. It was a simple black and white map, riddled with exotic names of various places. Keiko pointed out to one spot. "Here, Gabr Saleh."

"Okay…"

_"Yuki, got it memorized."_

_"Wait a… Hmmm… Okay, got it."_

"Yuki memorized it already, thanks."

"Convenient…" She muttered. "Oh, and take some light weaponry, just in case."

"Just in case?"

"Well, you encountered four Neuroi out of the blue yesterday…"

"Nah, fuck it. I'll just cut them down with my sword. Yesterday, I wanted the girls to have some fun, but I still was spent after my little running around…"

"You never cease to amaze me… Okay, go already."

"With pleasure."

"Oh, right… Any spare towels?"

"They have their own, don't worry. You'll even get soap and shampoo."

"Well, that makes the price a bit less horrible…"

After he went outside of the tent, the girls were already waiting for him eagerly.

"Come on you two, off we go."

"Yay!"

While underway, Toshiro asked Shirley, "Hey, since we will be in a Liberian base, why don't ask for some supplies? Maybe they'll give you a new radio?"

"You know what…? That's a super idea!"

"Heh… And Francesca…"

"Yes?" She asked innocently.

"For the love of whatever god you believe in, keep your mits to yourself! We don't need a certain situation to repeat itself, right?"

She shuddered, probably imagining it.

"Okay…"

"Now that we have that cleared…"

After a few minutes, they saw it - the Liberion base near Gabr Saleh. There was a long, paved runway crossing the whole base. Tents were virtually inexistent, since there were wooden barracks aplenty. An enormous hangar was protruding from the side of the runway, with its metal roof shining in the sun, and a smaller hangar was besides it. Dead center, a square two-story building was standing in solitude, reminding Toshiro of that in which the Pensacola base commander resided.

"Hey, sonny, I see you!" A familiar voice shouted through the transponder.

Toshiro quickly looked around the base, and saw a glint on the building's roof.

"General Patton, nice to see you too!"

"Come on down and let me give you a tour!"

"With pleasure!"

"P-P-Patton?!" Shirley shouted scared.

"Yeah, and?"

"Y-you know Patton?"

"Well pff, I also know your President, so?"

"YOU'VE MET PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT?! WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT IT?!"

"Ssssshh, calm down, Charlotte… Geez… I forgot about it… I'll tell you later, we don't have the time right now…"

"Okay…" She said visibly displeased.

They landed using the long runway, and a member of the land crew showed them to taxi into the smaller hangar. Inside, there were two P-51 Mustangs, and a slew of Strikers, including those based of the aforementioned aircraft.

It didn't take long for Patton to drive up in a Willy's Jeep to meet them. He was driving the car personally, something unusual of people with such a high rank.

"Hop in you lot, no sense in running around here."

"Thank you, General." Toshiro said.

He sat beside Patton, and Francesca sat behind the General.

Toshiro looked at Shirley, and saw her frozen still in place.

"Shirley, come on, the good General won't bite you."

"Son, tell me, is that who I think she is?"

"And who do you think is it, General?"

"That lass that broke the sound barrier, and which helped you devise those Merlin upgrade plans."

"The very same, live, in color and with sound, General."

"Hmmm… She looks much better in person… If you know what I mean." He said while fluttering his eyebrows.

"Heh… Shirley, come on in here. You won't refuse TWO of your superiors, right?"

"Oh, no, no! I'm coming!"

She quickly jumped into the car and they drove a few dozens of meters to the next hangar.

The General got out and said, "Come on, I'll show you the big guns."

They followed him into the closed hangar. As they entered, their jaws collectively dropped. Almost innumerable amounts of tanks in various shapes and heights were standing in the squeaky-clean hangar, from entrance back to the wall.

"Well then, let's start from the beginning… This is the M18 'Hellcat'. Its armor is made of wet tissue and boogers, but oh boy can is speed! It can travel at well over sixty km/h on sand, and almost a hundred on tarmac!"

The 2.5-meter high tank with open top turret didn't look intimidating to Toshiro.

"Almost a hundred on tarmac? Are you using it as an emergency medical transport vehicle, General?"

"Sometimes… However, rarely is something left to pick up after a tank explodes… Well, anyway, let's move on."

As they moved on, they saw a row of stubby tanks, varying in hull shape, but all having some common traits.

"What you see there are Shermans in three variants. Those that have rounded sides are M4A1(76)W's. Those with mudguards and slanted front armor are M4A3E2's, but we call them 'Jumbo', because they have the thickest armor and are simply so fucking huge. Those without mudguards are M4A3E8's, or 'Easy Eight' for short. All have 76mm guns, just like the Hellcat."

"They look chubby." Francesca said.

"If looks of tanks were the deciding factor, then seeing the tank that Rommel drives the Neuroi should commit suicide."

"The Tiger?" Toshiro asked.

"No, some other tin can… That bald fucker won't let me at it closer than a thousand feet…"

"General, please show some restraint."

"Yeah, yeah, he's your superior or something, sorry… Moving on… The M36 'Jackson' Neuroi destroyer! That cannon obliterates Turtles, and can even punch a nice hole in Huge Turtles."

The hull looked like an elongated version of the E8, but the gun and turret were different. The turret had a bulge in the back, probably serving as an ammunition rack, and the gun was about 30% bigger, and with a ferocious muzzle break.

"Nice… But I see that the next tanks are even better."

"Ah yes, I see that you are looking at the M26 'Pershing'. We got them just recently, but they already have proven their worth in gold!"

Toshiro was looking at the tanks, but saw a different model. The gun was absurdly long, longer than that on the Tiger he drove. A plate of armor looking like a square mask with big ears was welded on the front side of the turret, and some armor plates were applied to the front hull armor as well. Also, a notable feature were two recoil buffers mounted on the right side of the turret.

"Hmmm… But there's one standing out? Is that some prototype, General?"

"Hah! At least nobody can't say you're blind! That's the T26E4 'Super Pershing'. It's a tad slow, but it even bounced some beams from the Neuroi!"

"Not bad… But what's THAT?!"

Toshiro pointed out at a pair of tanks behind the M26's. They were well over 3 meters high and 10 meters long, sported enormous turrets, and even bigger guns.

"Ahahah! These are our secret weapons! We got them just yesterday, so when Rommel sees those, he'll shit his pants and turn green! The one on the left is a T29, it has a 105mm gun, and the one on the right is a T30 with a 155mm gun. I was told that the T30 can destroy a bunker with one shot!"

_Well, looks like we lost this race…_

"Okay, take your jaw from the floor and let's go. These little shits are unimportant." Patton said pointing at a bunch of small self-propelled howitzers. "I believe you three came here to use our quality spa?"

"Well yes, General. But I believe Shirley here has a little request."

"I… Uh… I…"

"Well, then I'll vocalize her request. You see, since she was left alone by your army, she didn't get her pay. Also, she would like to receive a portable radio, as a replacement for one that broke down badly."

"Bah, that can be done! You want that, Captain Yeager?"

"Y-yes Sir!" Shirley somehow mustered the courage to say it.

"Then come by my office after you've taken a dip, I will have everything ready for you. Oh, the 'bath' is waiting for you in the back of the smaller hangar. I'll give you a ride."

As they went through the hangar, Shirley couldn't resist but to peek inside of the P-51 Strikers. Much to her amusement and satisfaction, all of them had modified engines.

"See, Toshiro? You did really well!"

"Heheh… Good things don't need to be advertised…"

A few meters farther, Toshiro spotted a wooden wall all across the end of the hangar, with a 'BATH' sign hung on top. There were doors in the wall, and a familiar face greeting them, holding a stack of towels, and small pail with bars of soap and shampoo bottles in them.

"Hey Major, you came for a dip?"

"Captain Johnson? What are you doing here?"

"I'm a man of many jobs. Well then, pay up, and you can proceed."

"Straight to the point as always…" Toshiro said while pulling out the money.

"Hah, a pleasure doing business with you! How's that fridge by the way?"

"Shirley fixed it in a matter of minutes."

"Well, you win some, you lose some… I thought it was messed up beyond repair… Here are your bath utensils, have a nice dip. I'll be going for a Cola."

Each of the three entered their own 'suite'. The interior was Spartan, with the bare hangar walls and metal floor. There was a small chair, on which Toshiro placed his clothes. The barrel, which was placed on sturdy bricks, was barely his size, but somehow he managed to fit in. After washing his hair, he just hunched in it to soak up a bit.

After a few minutes, Toshiro stood up, but at the same time, the door opened, and a blonde girl went it. She looked directly at his manly parts, and then slowly moved her eyes up. By the time their eyes met, her face was already redder than a glass of Porto.

"H-h-h-h-hi!" She managed to cough up.

"Hi." Toshiro said with a neutral voice.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" She suddenly screamed and ran out.

_Well, fuck…_

"Girls, there's some pervert in one of the barrels!" The blonde girl screamed outside.

"Let's beat him up!" Another voice joined in.

"Yeah, let's!" A third voice shouted.

_Hmmmm... What do I care…_

Toshiro stood like before as the three girls busted into the room.

The two unknown girls stopped in their tracks, and started looking at him with curiosity. One of them started apparently measuring his 'equipment' in a way a painter measures proportions using his thumb and an easel.

"Are you going to stare at my dick for the whole day, or will you say something? I paid for this bath, so either get out or get in."

The three got shocked and flustered at his words, but one of them managed to ask him a question.

"Um, pardon… But who are you?"

"Major Toshiro Edelweiss from the Karlslander Wehrmacht."

"A Major?! Woah shit! We're sorry for the intrusion!"

"We really are!"

"We truly are!"

"What's the ruckus here?!" A fourth voice shouted.

The girls turned back, and saw Shirley clad only in a towel.

"The three here interrupted me." Toshiro said calmly.

"But you don't have to expose your meat like that, you know?"

"Heh, right… Okay, everyone get the hell out so I can make myself decent."

He didn't have repeat that, because the three unknown girls vacated the room in a split second, closing the door behind them. He dried himself and put on his clothes.

After opening the door, he saw the girls being berated down into the ground by Shirley.

"Okay, Shirley, you can stop. I see that the Captain is getting back."

"Oh, okay… Wait, what Captain?" She looked to the right and saw Johnson with three Coke bottles. "Waaaah!" She screamed and went back inside to get dressed.

"Hey, Abigail, Marilyn, Patricia, what are you doing here? Wanted to sneak a bath while I'm not around?" The Captain asked.

"Eheheh… Yeah…"

"Sort of…"

"Pretty much…"

"And guessing by the sly smile on the Major's face, one or all of you bumped into him while bathing?"

The girls fell silent with redness all over their faces and ran away faster than the wind.

"Here, catch!" The Captain threw a bottle of Coke to him. "Part of the bath."

"Don't mind if I do…" Toshiro opened the frosty bottle and guzzled down the brown carbonated drink in one go. "Phaaaaaa… That hit the spot…"

"Oh, Cola! Can I have one?!" Shirley shouted from behind.

Johnson threw her a bottle, and she drank it even faster than Toshiro.

"Fweeeeee… I haven't had Cola since… My God, I can't even remember! And where's Lucchini?"

"I don't… Wait a second, don't say anything…"

Toshiro listened carefully, and heard a loud snore coming from the bath in which Francesca was.

The three of them giggled immediately.

"Okay, Shirley, go wake her up, I had enough 'contact' with the opposite sex for today…"

"Heheh…"

She went in, and after a few minutes both came out.

"Uwaaaah… I fell asleep, heehee…" Francesca said.

"Something to wake you up." Johnson said while throwing a Cola bottle to her.

She siphoned it down with a speed comparable to Toshiro, albeit a bit slower than Shirley did.

"Uuuuuuh… Good… So, what now?"

"We can go bowling…" Toshiro shrugged.

The lazy bowling session afterwards turned into a heated battle of supremacy, when the three girls from before joined them. Although they were the local champions, it turned out that Shirley was a junior champion, and Toshiro's aptitude for learning didn't go to waste either. Unexpectedly, Lucchini was playing very good, but Toshiro had a theory about the roundness and size of the balls, which could explain it. After rubbing in that the three girls lost, Toshiro and company went to Patton's office.

As in Pensacola, a Cerberus in the form of a red head secretary was sitting in the room before the General's office.

"You are the three visiting now, right?" The secretary asked.

"Yup." Toshiro confirmed.

The secretary rummaged under her desk, and with a slight grunt, she pulled out a sturdy green portable radio.

"The General said to give this to… Captain Yeager… And also…" She pulled out a fat envelope from the drawer. "… this is the due pay."

Shirley looked into the envelope, and saw a fistful of dollars.

"Just please sign this form, and you can go."

Shirley grabbed a pen and scribbled down a signature.

"Thank you. The General said that he won't be meeting you now, so you are clear to go."

They went to the hangar, and mounted their respective Striker Units. After being signaled for takeoff, they flew away, in the direction of their home base.

Back in the base, they bragged about how they demolished the Patton Girls at a bowling game, much to the amusement of everyone. Then, when they were alone, Toshiro told Shirley about his encounter with Roosevelt.

"… and that's how it was."

"Amazing… You really meet all the greatest people…"

"You really like that man, right?"

"Yes. He is leading our country in troubled times… I look up to him like if he would be my uncle…"

"Everybody's uncle, huh?"

"Heh, yeah…"

_I don't have the heart to tell her what Yuki told me…_

The rest of the day went smooth, and the last thought that Toshiro had before going to sleep was:

_I wonder what will await me in the coming days…_

* * *

**GTA IV reference ahoy! Wonder if you'll find it :P**


	29. Chapter 29 - Broken Arrow

Chapter 29 – Broken Arrow

Two days after visiting Patton's base, Toshiro woke up in the morning as usual. Yesterday the unit got word that today a military operation will commence near Fort Maddalena, which was southwest of Gabr Saleh, in the same distance as the Tobruk base to the Gabr Saleh. And as usual, he saw Francesca 'caring' about Shirley's breasts in the sleep.

He walked out of his tent, and saw Matilda waiting for him, as usual.

"Good morning, Toshiro. A fine day for combat, don't you think?"

"A day like any other, Matilda. We just have to standby in case they need us."

"Ah well, I won't be in combat today anyway, since Fort Maddalena is such a long way away. I would have to move out now to get there by noon."

"But that's like fifteen minutes of flight at most."

"Ah… No…"

"No what?"

"Uh, well… I resent flying… I feel much safer in a Land Striker…"

"You don't know what you are missing out, Matilda…"

"I'm content with firm land under my feet, thank you…" She mumbled.

"Whatever… Let's jog."

After an hour of jogging, Matilda and Toshiro drank their usual glass of cold milk.

"Aaaah… How can something as simple as cold water with some lactose and proteins give such a relief after the morning jog?"

"Hahaha… That's why I love the world, Toshiro. There are so many mysteries and wonders around, that you can have something to ponder about each day."

"True, Matilda…"

Toshiro returned to his tent and turned on the radio equipment. He sat on the chair, put on the headphones and dozed off.

Firm poking in his rib took him out of the land of dreams. As he opened his eyes, he saw the ever-happy face of Francesca. He took of the headphones.

"Hey, To-shi-ro! Wake up!"

"Huh… What…"

"Food time, stupid!"

"Don't make such a big deal out of it, sheesh…"

"Oh pssh, I just wanted to wake you before…"

Suddenly a red lightning struck through the tent flap.

"Cousin dearest!"

"…that…" Francesca ended her sentence.

"Cousin, why are you still here, its food time!"

_"It's way past seven, sleepy face. Just saying."_

"Oh, okay… Why is everyone bullying me about eating today…"

"Because we are on standby, Toshiro." Shirley explained. "And the next second could be the one in which a broadcast for help comes in."

"Eat while you can, and sleep while you can… It seems all armies teach this universal truth…" Toshiro said. "Eh, time to go then."

The four of them went into the tent. Toshiro's nasal cavity quickly filled with the aroma of fried potatoes.

"Hmmm… Mami, are you doing what I think you're doing?" Toshiro asked.

"If you mean chips, then yes!"

"Hah, cool!" Shirley shouted. "Any ketchup to that?"

"Nope."

"Awww…" Shirley sighed disappointed.

As Toshiro sat at the table, he saw that Keiko was missing.

"Huh, where's Keiko?" Toshiro wondered aloud.

"Sitting in her tent and listening to the radio." Tina answered. "Someone has to."

"Then I should give her something to eat, if she can't dine with us."

"Good idea, Toshiro." Tina said.

Mami pulled out the first portion of the chips, and put in on a big platter. She then pulled out a smaller plate, took some chips and placed them on it. Mami sprinkled some salt on the chips and said "Toshiro, take this to Kei then."

"Okay."

He took the food and went to her tent, not bothering about knocking.

"Oh, Toshiro. Is that for me?" She asked.

"Yup. Eat up. Just don't chew to loud, or you'll miss something."

"Oh shush… I've been up since six, listening to the damn radio… I hope that we get into the action soon…"

"I'd prefer not going into action, but whatever… I'll send Mami to get the plate."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem."

He returned to the dining tent, just in time. While he was eating, he saw that Tina's hands were shaking. The shaking was small, but visible to a good observer.

_I have to ask her about the cause… But I have a hunch…_

After breakfast, Toshiro approached Tina as she was going to her tent.

"Is it the time already?" Toshiro asked.

Not turning her head, she responded with a neutral voice, "Not here. Follow me inside."

She led him to the couch, and told him to sit beside her.

"Yes, Toshiro. I feel I am starting to lose it slowly… How did you notice?"

"Your hands trembled slightly during breakfast. I assumed that it wasn't because of pre-battle anxiety, because knowing you, you could rush head over heels into the fray at any time of day."

"Hahah! Yeah… You are right… So… Will you do the same as you did to Matilda?"

"Yes. If you want of course… The alternative would be you smoking weed…"

"I'll try your method first, Toshiro. But do we have to hug? I'm not exactly a fan of hugging…"

"I can just place my hands on your head…"

"Then come on, let's do it."

Toshiro's body got enveloped in white flames, and he placed his hands on her head. At first, she relaxed and closed her eyes, but after a minute, tears started flowing from under her closed eyelids.

"Tina?" Toshiro asked concerned.

"Please… Don't stop now…" She whispered

Toshiro felt somebody observing him. He looked to his left and saw Matilda observing them from the entrance.

After two minutes, Tina suddenly hugged Toshiro with brutal strength. Her big breasts pressed against his chest, giving off a pleasant sensation.

"Thank you… Thank you… Thank you so much, Toshiro…"

"Hurrrgh… What gives, Tina?"

She let him go and opened her teary eyes. He could see peace and satisfaction in them.

"So… What happened?" Toshiro asked.

"My familiar spoke to me… He… He… He thanked me for being his father's partner, and he promised that he will put more effort into being my familiar."

"That's… Nice… How do you know he's a 'he'?"

"Well, he told me his name… It's Yari."

"Well, a nice name I must say… So, did I help in terms of your… condition?"

"Yes, yes… I feel like I was born yesterday! I could probably defeat a hundred Neuroi right now!"

"Mistress, don't go too far in your assumptions." Matilda said suddenly.

"Oh, Matilda! You're here?" Tina said surprised. "You saw everything…" She blushed violently.

"Yes, Mistress. And you don't have to be ashamed of anything; emotions are what differentiate people from wild beasts."

"Heh… Well, I suppose so… You can go now, Toshiro."

"Der Mohr hat seine Arbeit getan; der Mohr kann gehen (The Moor did his job, the Moor can go)…"

"Don't feel like that, Toshiro… And nice that you've read Schiller…"

"Nah, I'm just shitting you, Tina. Have a nice day."

"You too, Toshiro."

About two hours later, Toshiro was sitting on the chair with the headphones on. Just as he was about to take a break, he heard one of the worst things a radio op could hear.

"This is hzzz Patton! I'm declaring hzzz arrow! I hzzz Broken Arrow!"

_Broken Arrow, a distress signal to call in close air support. If one calls such a signal, it means that they are overwhelmed by the enemy. Fuck!_

Toshiro rushed off his chair, not saying a word. He stormed into Keiko's tent.

"Oh, Toshiro, I heard some voice through the static but…"

Toshiro grabbed the mic of the PA system, turned it on.

"Everyone, scramble! Patton called Broken Arrow! Man your Strikers!"

"Holy shit, Toshiro!" Keiko shouted. "Let's go!"

As Toshiro was running out, he saw that Keiko took her camera. Once outside, he saw that the girls ran out of their tents. He fixed his eyes on Matilda and shouted, "Matilda, you will be going to, arm yourself. And no buts! Be it brute force or rank, I'm superior to you!"

She furled her eyebrows, but then she gave of a sly smile.

"Okay, let's see what you've got in store for me." She said and went back into the tent.

"The rest of you, Strikers, weapons, GO GO GO!" Toshiro commanded.

Toshiro waited a few seconds, and Matilda came out with a spear, and shield in her hands, a sling in her breast pocket and a sword probably hidden on her back.

"Going full contact?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes. But how will I get there on such a short notice?"

"Hehehehe…. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Toshiro grabbed Matilda's hand; it was soft and firm at the same time. He ran off with her in the direction of the runway.

"Toshiro, what the hell are you planning!"

"You'll see!"

As they arrived, most of the girls were combat ready. Only Mami stood there like a dunce.

"Mami, what is it?" Toshiro asked.

"I can't decide if I should take a Bofors or the 88…"

"Take the 88; I'll carry ammo for you."

"Oh, cool!"

She picked up the enormous cannon. It had two recoil buffers mounted under main body of the cannon, and one over it. It only had iron sights on the side, and no autoloader to be sighted, because the breech was exposed. An ammo tray was protruding from the back of the cannon. The proportion of gun-to-barrel length was about 1:1.5, which Toshiro found weird, since everything was shorter that the barrel of his cannon.

"Cousin, those canisters." She pointed out to the big square canisters lying on the ground. Each one had a strap on it.

"Okay, wait a second."

Toshiro loaded the ammo backpack, loaded it, put it on his back, took his MG and cannon and said "Okay, tie a few canisters to the backpack, so I can pull shells out with one hand.

"Right!"

It took a minute, and four canisters, each with four SpGr. 39 HE shells were dangling from the backpack.

Toshiro and Mami boarded their Strikers.

"Matilda, get in the land Striker, and drive forward along the runway. Extend your hands to the side, and don't look back."

"I don't like this one bit, but supposedly you are a genius… You want to know something that will make you smile?"

"Yeah?"

"My Striker is a Britannian Matilda."

"Hahahahaha!"

As Matilda was mounting a Striker, Keiko started briefing them.

"Okay, Tina, Rai – you do your boom and zoom tactics as usual. Mami and Toshiro, you wreck hell from afar. And… Matilda?"

"She'll also take part, Keiko." Toshiro said.

"Oh… Well, she knows what to do."

"Oh, what about us?!" Shirley shouted. "We took the radio just in case!"

"Oh, you two… Yeager, you assist Tina. Lucchini, you'll be assisting Yeager. Give me the radio."

"Roger!" The two responded.

Matilda moved at a steady speed along the runway, and stopped in a position Toshiro told her too.

"Keiko, everything's ready it seems." Toshiro said.

"Then let's go! Everyone, go!"

The rumbling of the started Striker engines filled the desert air. Toshiro went first, grabbing Matilda from behind in her waist.

"Ho… Waaah! What are you doing!" She protested.

"Giving you a lift you stubborn lass!"

"I did not sign up for this when I became the Mistresses guardian!"

After thirteen minutes, they could the scale of the conflict. Multiple tank divisions were defending the fort from a mass of Neuroi, which would need someone with Area Analysis to count quickly. Keiko took the receiver of the radio and started reporting in.

"General Patton, come in! The cavalry has arrived!"

Despite the wind furling in Toshiro's earlobes, he could clearly hear Patton through the radio.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaw! About damn time! We are holed up in the fort, give those fuckers hell!"

"Yes sir!" She put the receiver back and shouted. "31st! Into battle!"

"Yeah!" They all shouted.

"Toshiro, let me go." Matilda said.

"Right now, letting you drop like a rock?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

"Okay then… Bombs away!"

Toshiro let Matilda loose, and she soared down in with an arced trajectory, down to the ground. When she hit it, she made a big cloud of sand. She didn't wait for it to settle down, and she rushed out of the cloud, at the nearest Turtle Neuroi. It fired a beam at her, but she deflected it with a shield bash, and rammed her spear into its body. The Turtle exploded, and Matilda turned around. She gave everyone a thumb up, and went on to the next enemy.

Tina and Raisa flared up into the sky, followed by Shirley and Francesca. The two pairs then dived sharply, shooting an unholy amount of bullets at the enemies, bringing down five of them.

"So, Mami… Let the big guns roar!"

"Yes, Toshiro!"

She fired the first shot. The 88mm cannon spat fire, and soon a Turtle exploded.. She opened the breech, picked up a shell from a canister on her back and rammed it into the breach.

"Oh, you've never seen me shoot this gun, right, cousin?"

"Nope. But now I understand why you were looking at my cannon with such eyes."

"Heheheh… Well, guilty as charged. But now, please, start shooting!"

Toshiro pulled up the sights. There was an abundance of targets, but he picked those closest to the fort. He shot one round, and destroyed one Neuroi, he shot another one, and another Neuroi was destroyed. He repeated that thrice, until the mag went empty.

"Hoohoo, cousin… Now I want that gun even more!"

"Be a good girl, maybe I'll beg out one at uncle for ya, okay?"

"Okay!"

She fired another round and two more.

"Toshiro, I need a canister!"

"I got a better idea! I'll load with my left, and shoot with my right!"

"Crazy!"

"But it will work!"

_"Right?"_

_"It should… I'll take the cannon then."_

Toshiro reloaded his own cannon, and flew up to Mami. He pulled out a shell from one of the canisters on his back, opened the breech, placed the shell on the tray and rammed in the shell. All in a split second, thanks to Yuki.

"Loaded!"

"Who, what, why?!"

"Just shoot!"

Mami took aim and another Neuroi bit the dust. The Yuki controlled part of Toshiro nabbed two kills in the meantime, and then a third enemy was destroyed. Suddenly, a swarm of chalice shaped enemies burst out of the sand.

"Flying Goblets! Toshiro, protect me! Those shits are agile!"

"Right!"

_"Yuki, no more fun with the cannon…"_

_"Awww…"_

Toshiro holstered his cannon, and grabbed the MG. For added effect, he summoned Aganaimaru in to his left hand. He waited for some Goblets to pack together, and released a powered up Rending Gale, killing five Goblets. Toshiro started shooting at the rest with his MG, but as they say 'Nec Hercules contra plures'.

"Tina, get your shapely ass over here! We're being swarmed by Goblets!" Toshiro shouted through the transponder.

"Already on it! Look behind you!"

Toshiro looked back and saw Tina and Raisa sweeping through the sky and shooting at the Goblets, destroying the remainders that Toshiro couldn't bag.

She flew up to him, and with a snicker, she said, "So, even you need help?"

"I'm just conserving my energy, mind you…" Toshiro said while looking at the mass of enemies with the Hebigan active. "There, two heavies, a Scorpion and Turtle. I'll take them both on."

"Alone?"

"Pff, what is this to me…" Toshiro turned around to Mami. "Here, catch." He threw her his MG.

"Okay, thanks! What are you planning?"

"See for yourself!"

Toshiro dived down in the direction of the Heavy Turtle. A layer of five shields appeared before him, tightly packed. The first shield was in the shape of a prong. He drew his sword, and loaded it with magical energy, as a precaution. The Neuroi saw him, and fired its beams at him, but the prong shaped shield deflected the beams valiantly. Then, with a speed of about 1200 km/h, he rammed through the Neuroi, destroying it into pieces. The last shield was left intact, and his sword didn't need to be used. At least not yet, because he made a tight turn and went on to the Scorpion. It also shot beams at Toshiro, but thanks to Yuki's powers, Toshiro simply evaded them.

A hundred meters before the enemy, Toshiro released a Reppuzan. It cut the Neuroi exactly in half, and it exploded.

The rest of the Neuroi seemingly started to panic, as they started retreating from the walls of the fort. The 31st and Patton's tank battalion used the occasion, and peppered their hinds with lead. The sight of the T30 firing it is enormous, ground shaking cannon was worth the effort.

_"Cannon to right of them,_

_Cannon to left of them,_

_Cannon in front of them_

_Volley'd and thunder'd;_

_Storm'd at with shot and shell,_

_Boldly they rode and well,_

_Into the jaws of Death,_

_Into the mouth of Hell_

_Rode the six hundred."_

_"Remembering another poem, Toshiro?"_

_"I thought it fitted the mood…"_

_"It does… It does…"_

After everything calmed down, the girls flew down to Toshiro.

"So that was what you meant by sword techniques… Not bad…" Keiko said with respect.

"Two heavies in one go! Blasphemer! Show off!" Tina pouted.

"Hahah! My cousin! You da man!" Mami cheered.

"Good job, Toshiro." Raisa congratulated him with dignity.

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" A voice was heard from the ground.

Everyone looked down, and they saw Matilda with a broken spear and her sword.

"How much?" Tina asked.

"Twenty, Mistress!" Matilda answered proudly.

"With a spear, shield and a bent sword… I'm going to cry…" Tina mumbled.

"Will you all shut the fuck up and come over here already?!" A male voice was heard from the direction of the fort.

They all looked there, and saw Patton standing on the wall. They flew up to the wall where he stood.

"You girls sure know how to make some noise, I'll be damned… And you son, seriously, please, don't be my enemy, never!"

"Of course, General, hahaha!" Toshiro laughed.

"Thanks to the immediate backup of you lot, we managed to survive with minimal casualties. God bless you all. Now scram, I have to tend to my soldiers."

"Moors… Moors I say…" Toshiro muttered.

"Oh shush…" Tina said and nudged him in the ribs.

"Okay gang, let's get back. Toshiro, pick up Matilda please."

"Kay."

Toshiro flew down to Matilda, and seeing him, she already assumed position.

"You are a fast learner, Matilda."

"I just don't want to make this any longer…"

The whole unit returned to the base, where they celebrated yet another victory over the enemy.

* * *

**Of course the name of Tina's familiar is 100% non-canon.**

**The name of the poem that Toshiro was 'reciting' is 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.  
**


	30. Chapter 30 - Götterdämmerung

Chapter 30 - Götterdämmerung

A month has almost passed since Toshiro got to Africa. Some weird piece of news got to Toshiro, about a pyramid disappearing overnight from Cairo, but Keiko said it's probably some drunkard making things up. The days passed on, while the girls were shooting down the odd Neuroi that flew over their airspace. Toshiro also bothered to shoot down some of the bigger ones, increasing his kill count a wee bit, but he preferred to give the girls some fun, especially after the tank kills were pinned to him. Matilda stopped reading horror stories, and started reading adventure novels, which Tina approved greatly.

Also, a day ago, Toshiro was awarded the Ehrenblatt des Heeres, the Honour Roll Clasp of the Army for being mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht.

_"Wake up, Toshiro…"_

_"Uhhhmmm… What is it, Yuki?"_

_"I sense an ominous presence…"_

_"Huh, where?"_

_"According to my calculations, it's just a kilometer west from Halfaya Pass…"_

_"You can sense it from such a distance?!"_

_"Yes, and it terrifies me… Get up, and take the suit Amaterasu gave you."_

_"Why should I? It's just for looks…"_

_"We haven't been exactly honest about it…"_

_"What now…"_

_"The suit is made out of the micro-core that was in your body. Amaterasu pulled it out just before your first body exploded, and made that suit out of it. It enables you to communicate with Neuroi, although there's a lower size limit…"_

_"And you kept such info away from me… Tsk… Well, I suppose I should wake up the girls…"_

_"No, you have to go alone; this is too much for them."_

_"As you wish…"_

Toshiro slowly crawled of his bed, and silently changed into the suit he had in his chest. As he stepped out of tent, Matilda was already waiting for him.

"Did you also sense something wrong?" She asked.

"Yes. Yuki senses some great force at Halfaya Pass."

"Hmmm… And you probably want to go alone?"

"Yuki wants it; I'd rather have some backup just in case…"

"Be it as it may… I'll explain everything to everyone once you go."

"Thanks…"

"Or maybe not."

Matilda suddenly put fingers in her lips and whistled like a train.

"Matilda, what the…"

Every witch in the base crawled up out of their tents, Shirley and Francesca not excluded.

"What's happening Matilda?" Keiko said with a groggy voice.

"Toshiro wants to pull a suicide mission all by himself."

"What?!" Keiko livened up suddenly. "Over my dead body!"

"I'm your superior, Keiko, stand down." Toshiro said with a cold voice.

He suddenly felt someone clutching his leg.

"Coooouuuussiiiiiin! Don't go! We'll help you!" Mami was half-crying at his legs.

"Mami, I can't make you take a risk for me." He said while separating her from his leg.

"Toshiro, suicide missions are my trademark here! If you want to go, you'll have to pay me royalties!" Tina shouted.

Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and threw it to her. "Here, help yourself." He said sarcastically.

He looked at Raisa, which had a dim expression on her face.

"Well, at least you don't get emot…"

He couldn't finish, because suddenly Raisa burst into tears and grabbed him in the waist.

"Please don't do anything stupid! Please!"

"I won't have anyone to comb with my new comb…" Furuko said with an expressionless face.

_She lost it._

He looked to the left, and saw Shirley and Toshiro grinning heavily.

"Now, you two know what I'm capable of, right?"

"Heh, yeah. Suicide and Toshiro seem to be synonyms!" Shirley shouted cheerfully.

"Toshiro will overcome any difficulties!" Francesca did the same.

Toshiro turned around to the girls from the 31st.

"See? They trust me. Don't you trust me?"

Then, silently, they surrounded him and hugged him from every direction.

"Stay safe, Toshiro…" Keiko said silently.

Toshiro rushed to the shed with his Striker. He jumped into it, and started in a cloud of dust. He didn't take any equipment, because anything that could be detected from such a distance would be invulnerable to such petty weaponry.

Toshiro saw the girls waving at him fiercely, pouring their hearts into it.

During the flight, he conversed with Yuki:

_"So, is the 'force' still in the same spot?"_

_"Yeah, it's immobile... But the closer we are the more I'm scared… This power is something I didn't feel even when we battled the Warlock…"_

_"Hmmm… We still have a wild card…"_

_"But… You failed…"_

_"If it comes to it, I'll do it."_

As he approached Halfaya Pass, he saw six tanks, five Tigers and one unknown to him on a flat piece of desert. The crews were doing some calisthenics in the sun. He decided to land near them.

Approaching the people, he a figure suddenly emerged from the turret hatch of the unknown tank.

"Toshiro, what are you doing here at this time of day?"

"Oh, well… What is that tank, Herr Generalfeldmarschall? It looks absolutely stunning!" Toshiro tried to change the topic to the unknown tank.

The almost eight meter long monster had a sharply angled front plate, and a peculiarly shaped turret. The gun on it wasn't the one that he saw on the Tiger, only something even longer and thicker.

"Ah, I see that you took notice… Well, this is the VK 45.03 (H) Ausf.K. The engine is the same as in the Tigers around you, but the gun… Oh the gun! The 10,5cm KwK 46 L/68 is a force to reckon with! It's fitted with gun and sight stabilization and an automatic ammunition feed. We once killed a Turtle from off four kilometers, just like that!"

"Nice… But what's this… coating on the whole tank?"

Toshiro had the irregular wave-patterned coating that was applied to most of the armor on the tank.

"That? That's Magerit, a zinc based paste infused with crystalized ether. It causes the Neuroi beams to ding off the armor."

"Very impressive… Those tanks around me… All Ausf.I from what I see? Oh, the 131 is also present here!"

"Yes, this is my experimental tank battalion. The top notch when it comes to tanks! A shame my tank is one of a kind and that it's being field tested just now… If not for the Neuroi attacking Karlsland first, we would probably have this puppy at least a year earlier…"

"Well… I was in the base in Gabr Saleh some time ago, and they had tanks that could rival with this vksomething…"

"VK 45.03 (H). I'm aware of the advancements by the Liberians. Our labs in Rosario are already constructing a successor to this one, although it's only an early prototype. We picked up the pace the last few months. By the way, I'm looking for a name… Any propositions?"

"A name for this tank? Hmmmm… Is this the successor to the Tiger I?"

"Yes."

"Hmmmm… Königstiger?"

"Ahh… A good name… Symbolic too… I like it… I will forward it to Wa Prüf 6 for acceptation. You shou…"

The ground suddenly started shaking violently, causing Toshiro to trip.

When he got up, Yuki started shouting.

_"TOSHIRO, TO YOUR RIGHT!"_

He immediately looked in the given direction, and saw a shape emerging from the sand a kilometer away. It gradually became higher and higher. He heard as Rommel was sputtering curses, and ordering his men to board the tanks.

After a minute, the dust fell off.

Before them stood the biggest Neuroi yet seen. A great pyramid, covered in the usual Neuroi markings, walking on four legs. Toshiro's rough estimate of the height of this Neuroi was about 160 to 180 meters. A small red glint was seen over the pyramid's tip.

"What is this…?" Rommel said out of breath.

"Run… Run while you still can!" Toshiro shouted.

"What are you talking about? We have to fight it or…"

"RUN!"

It was too late. A beam swooped through the morning air. Toshiro barely made it, erecting an enormous shield. The blast pressure has made the sand around him swirl violently, and he got thrown back against a tank.

"Oh fuck… That was… Too much…"

"Are you all right, Toshiro?" Rommel asked.

"Why don't I hear the tanks running in reverse yet?"

"We won't abandon you! A Karlslandian never abandons the battlefield else than wounded or in a body bag. Batallion! Auf den Neuroi zielen (Aim at the Neuroi)!"

The six turrets of the tanks whizzed and turned in unison, and the gun barrels went up.

"Feuer!"

Six guns fired at the same time in a deafening cannonade. But when the smoke cleared, no changes on the Neuroi were seen.

"Scheiße! Verfluchte scheiße!" Rommel swore heavily.

Toshiro sighed.

"Save your ammo, I'll do it my way…"

Toshiro ran a hundred meters before the tank battalion. Flames swirled around him, as he activated the power of the Sacred Flame. He raised his sword over his head, and magic started flowing into the blade. After a few seconds, he swung the sword and shouted:

SHIN REPPUZAN!

The half-crescent attack flew towards the Neuroi at over Mach 1. When it hit the Neuroi, it flattened on its surface, and dissipated without trace.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Toshiro shouted in disbelief.

"HA. HA. HA. HA!" A voice was heard in his head.

"You… What are you…"

"I. AM. WHAT. YOU. CALL. A. NEUROI. NOTHING. LESS. AND. NOTHING. MORE."

"But… How the hell did you grow so big?!"

"I. BORROWED. AN. ENERGY. SOURCE. INSIDE. THIS. PYRAMID."

"So I'm facing a Neuroified pyramid… You know what, Neuroi? Let us have a fair duel. After sixty seconds, we shoot off our biggest and most powerful attack at each other. What say you?"

"YOU. SURE. HAVE. A. DEATHWISH. CHOSEN. ONE. I. ACCEPT."

"Okay then… But before we begin, what do you know about Free Energy?"

"IT. IS. THE. ENERGY. SURROUNDING. THE. WHOLE. UNIVERSE."

"Correct. But you can't just use it like that… You'd have to be a god to use it…"

"I. DON'T. SENSE. YOU. BEING. A. GOD. HUMAN."

"Not now… But I will be in a second! Kami no Shussei!"

A spire of light shot from Toshiro with blinding intensity, piercing the sky. It soon dissipated, revealing a changed Toshiro. His clothes changed into the purest form of white, with radiant crimson flame motifs moving on the fabric. His hair turned back to their original jet-black color, furling as if a violent wind was blowing.

Toshiro turned his eyes, now glowing with a golden brilliance to the Neuroi and yelled, "Let us begin!"

Immediately, he shot his hands forward. Blue energy particles started streaking to a center point between his open palms, and started forming a ball of pure energy.

_I have ascended into divinity, this time in the world of men. Now I'm virtually equal to a kami… But the price I will pay to prevent a catastrophic gravitational surge from happening is enormous. For each second, a week of my life expectancy is taken away, forever. At least for the first minute, because even Amaterasu couldn't foresee what will happen after a minute: would I collapse dead, or would the world start to shatter around me? I can't know that… But now, I can use the power of gods to obliterate that Neuroi!_

The energy ball in Toshiro's hands was growing steadily, and he had to place it over his head to let it grow. On the other side of the battlefield, a red ball of energy was growing over the Neuroi, already about 30 meters in diameter.

"So, Neuroi, thinking about surrendering?"

"THE. CONCEPT. OF. SURRENDER. IS. UNKNOWN. TO. US."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Forty seconds into the battle, the ball of energy over Toshiro's head was already three meters in diameter, but compared to the Neuroi's it was puny.

_Crap… The Neuroi isn't kidding… And my hands… And my knees… They are starting to tremble… I went only just this far in training…_

"WHAT. IS. IT. HUMAN? GODLY. POWERS. OR. NOT. YOU. ARE. JUST. A. PETTY. AND. WEAK. HUMAN."

One of Toshiro's knees gave up, and he barely managed not to fall down completely. He closed his eyes.

_It's right… I'm just a human… Godly powers my ass… This body isn't fit for the job… I can't do it… I can't…_

"You can."

He suddenly opened his eyes. He saw himself on one knee, with a tired face full of regret, carrying a big ball of blue energy, similar to how the titan Atlas carried the World. The Neuroi's ball of energy was already fifty meters in diameter, almost a third of its height. The two energy spheres were giving off bright lights, flooding the dim lit desert with their colors.

"Turn around."

_This voice… Could it be…?_

Toshiro turned around, and saw the one person who he couldn't mistake with anyone else. The black haired beauty in a pink yukata, it was his mother - Akiko.

"M-m-mother?"

"Hi, Toshiro. Nice to see you."

"But… Mom… You're…"

"Dead… Yes, I know. And I don't regret my decision."

"But how…"

"The energy which you are now operating with is so immense that I could descend to Earth and talk to you."

"Sounds fair… So you want to give me a pep talk?"

"Heehee… You were always bright… I figured that just by talking to you, you would muster some hidden energy…"

"Heh… Maybe… But I don't feel this would be enough I believe… My body is already pushing so much energy that it will likely burst…"

"Then in what other things do you believe?"

"My friends… And my girlfriend…"

"About your girlfriend…" She made a pause and looked at him. "Don't give me such a face, not that I can forbid it now, right? Anyway… I'm happy for you. You were always shy with the girls, and now you have a girlfriend… Make me some cute grandchildren!"

"Are all mothers so fixated on grandchildren?!"

"Heehee… Don't shout at your dead mother."

"Sorry…"

"Well… I believe I should be going now… The energy leak I used to get here is fading… Come closer."

Toshiro came closer to his mother.

"Now close your eyes and bend over…"

He did that, and he suddenly felt warmth on his forehead. He bent back and opened his eyes.

"A kiss of good luck. Goodbye, Toshiro. It was nice to see you."

_I can't contain my feelings. My heart flutters like a butterfly caught in a pickle jar. Tears are starting to flow down my cheeks like a whitewater rapid. I can't resist. I have to do it!_

Toshiro lunged forward and hugged his mother tightly.

"Oh my, oh my… My poor Toshiro… I know that you miss me, but you have to let go…" She said while patting his back.

"But I don't want to…" Toshiro whimpered.

"Like a small child… Oh okay…" She returned his hug and they stood like that for a minute.

Toshiro felt that suddenly his mother started fading away. He let her go and saw that she is starting to get more and more translucent, with green particles flowing up to the sky from her.

"Oh my… Well, Toshiro, I've almost overstayed my welcome. Be a good boy, and fight. For me, for Yoshika, for all humanity."

Toshiro pulled himself together and with a confident voice he said, "I will, mother!"

"That's the spirit! And remember, the heavens are the key." She winked.

Akiko dissolved in a storm of green particles.

Toshiro's vision got blurry. He returned to his body, and the time flow resumed with all consequences.

"GIVING. UP. HUMAN?"

"Oh no… Not yet… Not while I'm alive won't some Neuroi threaten the humankind… Not while my friends are alive… Not while my girlfriend is alive! I will protect everything I hold dear, even at the cost of my own life!"

Toshiro started slowly standing upwards.

"The people dearest to me are the source of my power… You don't have any friends, right, Neuroi?"

"I. DO. NOT. UNDERSTAND."

"Good… Because you are a heartless machine… An abomination… And abominations are to be purged!"

Toshiro straightened his hand above his head as the energy ball was glowing ever more.

_I got only ten seconds left…_

Suddenly, on a whim, Toshiro threw the ball of energy, which now had a radius of ten meters in the air, and summoned his sword. He pierced the ball, and a blinding explosion took place.

When he opened his eyes, he held a sword high above his head. But it was not Aganaimaru, it was something far more different. It was a thirty-meter sword comprised of pure energy, essentially weightless. The core of it was a radiant pillar of energy, and it was surrounded by pure darkness, which looked as if it could devour the surroundings just by its presence alone.

Toshiro felt as time stopped once again. Amaterasu herself materialized out of thin air and walked up to him.

"Toshiro… You have done the impossible…"

"Huh?"

"Do you know what that sword is?"

"Nope…" He looked at the sword, and despite time being frozen, the two opposite energies still moved.

"This is a Shard of the Allgod."

"A what?"

"It's a piece of the purest energy in the universe, the primordial energy governing the creation of the whole multiverse…"

"Interesting…"

"It took the form of the ultimate sword, the blade of creation and destruction, the Alpha and Omega, Oblivion Lost."

"Oblivion Lost… So what, now I just swing it and the Neuroi goes poof?"

"I believe that your legs aren't in the condition for you to get close to the Neuroi… But remember, there's a sword technique far more powerful than the Shin Reppuzan…"

"But I don't know its name!"

"Oh yes you do! Your mother gave you a hint."

"The heavens are the key?"

"Yes. Use your noggin for once."

"Heavens… Key… Heavens… Hmmm…"

Suddenly it struck him.

"He….Heheh….Hehehehehehehe! I got it!"

"Then let it rip!"

The time flow resumed with Amaterasu's should still resonating in the air.

"Now, Neuroi… GO FUCK YOURSELF!"

Toshiro started swinging the enormous sword. It barely moved, as if the fabric of time and space held it back.

TENKAI REPPUZAN!

Toshiro shouted, and the sword moved forward rapidly. A gigantic wave of hypersonic energy was released, bigger than the sword itself, and bigger even then the Neuroi standing before him. It ripped a canyon in the sand, and vaporized the enemy before it could even notice.

His sword reverted to its normal state, and he started falling on his back in slow motion.

_I did it… I finally did it… The Tenkai Reppuzan… I hope I will live to tell it, because the damage to my body will take an unknown time to heal by itself…_

The wave of energy sharply turned up into the sky and at the altitude of ten kilometers in constricted itself so it was barely visible.

"You did well, my dear Toshiro… Now rest…"

The voice of his mother was the last thing he heard. The last thing he saw was an explosion as bright as a supernova.

* * *

**ONE CHAPTER LEFT!**

**Kami no Shussei = Birth of a God**

**Tenkai Reppuzan = Celestial Sphere Reppuzan**


	31. Chapter 31 - Out of Africa

Chapter 31/Final Chapter – Out of Africa

_"Uuuuhh…"_

_"You are finally gaining consciousness, Toshiro?"_

_"Yeah… How long have I been out cold?"_

_"Nine days. It took me nine days to restore you to your normal self. It's the 18_ _th_ _day of March."_

_"Wow… Why not an hour like last time?"_

_"This was… different..."_

_"I won't poke… But yeah, releasing the Godly Particle of Amaterasu surely put a strain on my being… And I won't be able to use it for half year anyway…"_

_"Yup."_

_"Do you know what's happening around me?"_

_"Oh, many things. When you wake up, don't get too excited, or you'll have to go to bed again, heehee…"_

_"Okaaaay… Do the girls know what happened?"_

_"All in due time. But I gave them a status report on your body, don't worry."_

_"You can operate my body while I'm unconscious?"_

_"Only your vocal cords don't fret. I won't make you sleepwalk and pee in peoples beds."_

_"Very funny…"_

_"So, do you feel like waking up? Your body is greenlit for operation."_

_"I might as well…"_

Toshiro opened his eyes slowly. He saw the material ceiling of a tent, but it was not his. And the bed was too soft for his low-quality field bed.

"Toshiro?"

_That voice… I last heard that voice over a month ago…_

"Uhhhg… Adolfine? What are you doing here?"

Toshiro turned his head slowly to the right. Adolfine was sitting on the couch, dressed in that outfit that showed her skin. He now understood where he was. He was in Tina's tent.

Adolfine approached him and sat on the edge of his bed.

"You know, I was in Europe when the news came to me. News that you ripped a new one to a Neuroi the size of a small mountain. In a rather flashy way…"

"Well… I can't say that I was subtle…"

"You know that it was probably the biggest land based Neuroi ever? A few years ago, Tomoko Anabuki and the rest of the Misfits fought a blockhouse turned into a Ziggurat-type Neuroi, but compared to a pyramid? Puh!"

"Well, the Egyptian government will probably be fucking pissed that I destroyed their cultural heritage or something…"

"They already know about the situation. No bad word was said about you."

"At least that… So, what happened when I was out cold?"

"Maybe if I show you it will have a bigger impact… Can you walk?"

"I'll try."

Toshiro slowly stood up from the bed. The world swirled around him, and he got a nasty headache.

"It seems like you need some support… And clothes for that matter, hah, almost forgot!"

Toshiro looked down, and saw that he was only in his undies. Adolfine helped him dress himself, but he was missing something.

"Adolfine… Where are my medals?"

"Don't worry about that for now."

"And why am I actually in Tina's tent? What tortures did she have to be subdued to let go of this tent?"

"I was told that she proposed it the second you were brought back."

"Impossible!"

"Right? But anyway, come on outside."

Adolfine and Toshiro slowly walked up to the tents entrance.

"Oh, you might want to wear these." She said while pulling out sunshades from her pocket, and putting them on for Toshiro.

"Thanks…"

They went out, and Toshiro couldn't believe his eyes.

Before him stood the whole 31st including Shirley and Lucchini. There were also the three Patton Girls, complete with their General. And there was Rommel with Horbie by his side, who was carrying two boxes.

A wild cheer went off as soon as everyone confirmed what they saw, and his friends stormed him with hugs.

"Hey… Not so hard… Ugggh…"

After the friendly rabble calmed down a bit, they all went behind Rommel and Horbie.

"Major Edelweiss, step forward!" He commanded.

"Will you manage?" Adolfine whispered to his ear.

"Yeah…"

Toshiro slowly but steadily took two steps forward.

"Attention!" Rommel shouted.

Toshiro straightened out, albeit with a little pain.

"Major Toshiro Lucas Edelweiss, for your splendid work as the supervisor of the 31st Joint Fighter Squadron, repairing a vital asset, using the aforementioned asset to destroy four Neuroi, saving me and other vital members of the Wehrmacht and our ally General Patton and his men, saving vital assets included, and for destroying the biggest yet seen land Neuroi, in the name of our Kaiser, and as a representative of the Wehrmacht, I hereby promote you to the rank of Oberst, effective immediately."

_A Colonel… Me… A rank higher than Minna! Only a rank lower than Adolfine! But wait a minute…_

Toshiro saluted and shouted "Lang leb der Kaiser!" while Rommel pulled out his new epaulettes out one of the boxes Horbie was holding. Keiko was making pictures with her camera.

He only saw them briefly while Rommel was fastening them on his shoulderboards, but it was enough. Compared to the previous ones he had, the new ones had two new golden 'buttons' sewed on.

"Thank you, Herr Generalfeldmarschall."

"That's not all of it, Toshiro. The second box has something even better."

_I already have a rather high-ranked award, but…_

"I didn't order 'at ease', straighten out for a bit longer." He said. "In the name of the Kaiser, et cetera and so forth, in connection with your previous aforementioned merits, I present you with the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Wear it with pride, Hero of Karlsland."

"Yes sir!"

Rommel turned back and picked up the award from its box. The golden part of the award gleamed briefly in the sun as Rommel put it around Toshiro's neck.

"Toshiro, be proud of it, even I don't have that grade…" Adolfine muttered into his ear. "The Military Council probably dropped head after seeing that flic…"

"Huh? What flic?"

"All in due time…"

Toshiro saw that Rommel extended his arm to him.

"As a simple soldier, and from simple human courtesy, I would like thank you for saving me and the whole Experimental Tank Battalion 'Africa'."

As Toshiro grabbed his hand, he said, "Anytime, anyplace."

"Hmmm… Well then, I believe dear Adolfine wants some alone time with you and your two friends."

"Really? Okay then…" Toshiro looked back, and she nodded. "Then farewell, Herr Rommel."

"Goodbye."

Rommel turned away and went to a car that was parked in the front of the base. Horbie approached him and gave him the boxes.

"Congratulations, Toshiro, you are powering through the ranks like it's nobody's business."

"Heh, thanks…"

Then, General Patton approached him, and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Son, if after this war we somehow become enemies, remember to give me a heads up you're coming my way, so I can run for the hills!"

"Hahaha! I will remember!"

Then the three blonde Patton Girls came by.

"Well, congratulations… But we will win the next match!"

"Definitely!"

"Super positively!"

"I'm looking forward to that, girls."

Then, the girls from the 31st formed a line and started approaching Toshiro one by one.

"Now you have a higher rank then me, Toshiro. Good luck on your future endeavors, and I will pray that you won't have much paperwork."

"Thanks, Keiko."

"I hope that my bed was good enough for you?"

"How should I know? I was out cold for nine days!"

"Ha! True! Oh well, it was nostalgic to sleep on a field bed again…"

"Thanks…"

"The great warrior recovers… Good to see you alive, Toshiro."

"Yes, Matilda, good to see me alive…"

"Couuuuusiiiiiin! Congrats on that promotion! And this new shiny medal, ooooh!"

"Heh, lively as ever… Thanks, Mami."

"I somehow feel it's inappropriate to call you by first name, now that you are an Oberst…"

"Don't sweat it, Rai, I'm the same old Toshiro."

"But your hair is a mess! Let me fix it!"

"Hold your horses, Ruko; I have some things to talk about with Adolfine here."

"Shirley, Francesca, come on inside with us." Adolfine commanded.

"Sure thing, Adolfine." Shirley responded.

"Okay, Auntie!" Francesca cheered.

"Adolfine… What the hell happened when I was out?"

"Later…"

Inside, Toshiro saw that his bed has its sheets changed, and there were many papers on his desk.

"Sit down, all of you, I have to fill the blanks in Toshiro's memory, and I have some news that concerns all of you."

The two sat down on their beds, Adolfine sat behind the desk, and Toshiro took a spare chair and sat beside Shirley.

"First thing's first, Toshiro, congratulations on everything."

"Heh, thanks…"

"Your ID has been filled out, and here's your wallet." She pulled the wallet from the desk and threw it to him. "Marseille promised that she didn't pinch a penny."

"I somehow find it hard to believe… Oh and I have one thing to talk about Tina with you."

"Sure, but later. Let's start from the beginning. I was in Belgica, visiting Minna and the rest to conduct some… business when you were doing your heroic feat here. I was just over Gallia when I got word of what you did. You were supposed to stay here for another week anyway, but I decided to visit you. When I arrived, Rommel showed me an interesting movie. It appears that one of his crewmembers had a movie camera, and recorded your little battle with the Ziggurat-type Neuroi. The footage lacked audio, and was a bit shaky, but it portrayed your efforts quite nicely. Rommel and I decided to send it back to Neue Karlsland immediately through a Courier Witch. After that meeting, I came to this base. The girls here were already taking care of you, and your familiar told me that it would take about nine days for you to recover, so I decided to stay and fill your spot. I used your book collection between reading your reports, which are very well written by the way…"

"I doubt that you stayed here just because you liked me so much, and worried about me… No offence…"

"None taken, Toshiro. You see, the 'business' I was conducting with Minna – get ready – it was about the reformation of the 501st."

The three of them gasped.

"Yes, yes, you heard me. Minna requested that the 501st would be reformed and placed in a suitable region."

"A suitable region?"

"That's another topic I want to bring up…" Adolfine said and pulled out a small diameter record plate from under the papers, and put it on the record player, which was plugged into the radio rack. "This is a recording from Operation Trajanus, which took place four days ago."

She took the arm of the player, and gently set it down on the record.

He heard various battle chatter, explosions, gunfire, some reports – a typical battle going on.

Suddenly they heard a lifeless voice saying 'Operation Trajanus… has failed…' and after that there was only static.

Adolfine turned off the playback.

"What was that?" Toshiro asked.

"That was Junko Takei, the commander-in-battle of the 504th JFW based in Romagna. Her unit was a vital part of Operation Trajanus. The scope of the operation was to communicate with the Neuroi."

"Communicate with the Neuroi… yeah, right…"

"Don't be so skeptical, Toshiro. I almost succeeded…"

"And what tipped the scale from almost to… what was the aftermath by the way?"

"A disaster… Just when everyone thought it would work, a hive of unprecedented size appeared and smashed the normal hive that was under it. The whole 504th was disabled from combat, only miraculously not losing anyone to the Neuroi."

"Shit… A disaster indeed…"

"Yes, and that's why the 501st is now reformed, with Minna as its commander."

"Woooohoooo! Shirley! Toshiro! I'll be returning to my home country! Weeee!" Francesca started cheering suddenly.

"There, there, Lucchini, calm down a bit. I believe Adolfine wants to tell us something important." Shirley calmed her down.

"Correct. Toshiro, you are now absolved of your duty as the supervisor of the 31st JFS, and are now appointed as the Grand Supervisor of the 501st JFW."

Everyone's jaw dropped immediately.

"But that's your job, Adolfine!" Toshiro shouted in protest.

"True. But now I know I can place the responsibility for it in your hands. You will have absolute power over the unit, unrestricted by nobody. However, I have a request… Let Minna handle the combat part of the units' functionality, okay?"

"Yeah… Sure… I suppose this is an offer I can't refuse?"

"Correct. You also can't refuse the next things I'm about to say… Your little stunt back at Halfaya Pass impressed your uncle and the Military Council so much that you are now anointed as the Hero of Karlsland. This means that you are now a representative of the whole country, Toshiro. That means the media will swarm you, and you'll have to give very well thought out answers to any question they might ask you… Photo-shoots, radio interviews, movies… You'll have to do all those things."

"Adolfine… You know how I hate to be in the center of attention like that…" He said with a cold voice.

"Sorry, Toshiro, but it wasn't my decision. However, please understand, the people are in need for a hero, someone to look up to in these grim times. You could be a great alternative to Marseille."

"If you put it that way…" Toshiro sighed. "Whatever… If the people want to look up to me, I can't look down on them…"

"That's the spirit! Your 'resurrection' will be officially announced in a few days. You should head to your new base immediately. We managed to procure a decrepit castle from the Romagnan government, nearby the town of Pescara. It has a nice big hangar and runway, and the roof doesn't leak, so it should be enough. I ordered some supplies to be delivered there, some kitchen utensils, and a field kitchen running on methanol, gasoline, firewood or whatever you put into it. You will be the house warmers so to speak, because I anticipate the rest to come sometime after tomorrow."

"Nice… But what about the rest? Are they notified?"

"Only Minna and the rest, plus Mio were notified officially, but I have a hunch the rest will get wind of it, since newspapers already wrote about it."

"Does Minna or the rest know about me?"

"Nope, didn't tell them."

"And what about… Yoshika? Is she coming?"

"She wasn't notified officially but…" She paused and gave off a sly smile. "…it seems your girlfriend is more stubborn than a mule in a carrot patch. She commandeered a Striker Unit, and followed Mio, who was in an airboat, and joined her mid-flight."

"Hah! That's my Yoshika! So, how will I get to that Pescara?"

"I will give you a lift by airboat. We will land at the small dock of your new base. There will be people from the Romagnan army waiting to unload your stuff, and transport it up a bigass pair of stairs, which is the only way to get up to the base there from there. We also left you a truck as a present."

"Speaking of presents… Did you by chance get to know about Tina's secret agenda?"

"As a matter of fact yes… When she gave me your wallet, she looked as if she was selling her cow to the slaughterhouse, so I pushed a little bit, and she confessed."

"And what do you think about it?"

"She already brought together a nice sum of money, so I agreed to chip in. The construction should start in a month."

"Seems my presence here was for the better after all… So, how did the three of you get along so well?"

"Well, you see… Since we were tent mates for almost whole nine days, we had to get along, so we came to the conclusion that 'Toshiro's women should stay close together'." Adolfine said with a mysterious voice.

"That sounds as if I had my own private harem… And you are letting Francesca calling you 'Auntie'? You didn't let me do it…"

"She's different. Francesca is so cute, that I let her call me that. Despite the fact that she groped me silly a few days ago…"

"She did? Francesca! Your bragging rights just shot through the roof!" Toshiro shouted.

"Didn't they, huh? I groped a Brigadier General! Her breasts are really firm and bouncy, very well fitting the rest of her athletic body!"

"Hahahaha! One hundred percent Lucchini! Speaking about breasts… Shirley, that badge on your bosom, I never noticed it until now?" Toshiro said while looking at a small silver badge, looking wings attached to an emblem of Liberion, and a star atop of it.

"Oh, I just got it two days ago. Seems that they finally recognized my deeds, and gave me a Command Pilot's badge!"

"Nice. So what will become of this tent, Adolfine?"

"All the things from this tent, except for the beds, will go to your new base with you. You need a good start, since it's very ill equipped. I already ordered a truck convoy to come to the base in a few minutes."

"Okay… Oh, I have a last question - when will I be nominated to become a General."

"No promotions for the next half of the year." Adolfine said firmly. "Hero or not, you have to cool down. You are the fastest promoting soldier I've ever saw. In 8 months, you went from a Private to Colonel... Have some restraint…"

"Heh… Well then, I think we should pack, right girls?" Toshiro asked.

"Ehhh…." Shirley sighed. "I already got accustomed to this place…"

"Me too…" Francesca also sighed. "But now we are going to Romagna, fuck everything about this piss poor godforsaken hole in the middle of nowhere!"

Everyone looked at the sudden display of foul language performed by Francesca. When she realized what she said, she blushed with a magnitude of a small star.

"Ehehehe… Sorry… Got a little carried away…"

The four of them packed their stuff. Toshiro ended up with the chest in on his shoulder, and the girls each had a duffle bag. While packing his stuff, he found a trumpet in his chest.

As they went out, they just sat on the sand in the middle of the base. The trucks came in, and people started loading their gear and equipment. Toshiro was kind enough to help load the cannon and motorcycle on the trucks. While he was carrying the FFG-3, he took a quick glance of himself in the small mirror.

_My hair returned to 'normal'… Ehhh… You can't have everything…_

As they were about to board the trucks, the girls of the 31st came out of the dining tent.

They stood in one line in attention. Keiko took a step forward.

"Toshiro Edelweiss, Francesca Lucchini and Charlotte Yeager. To honor your service and contributions, we would like to name you Honorary Lifetime Members of the 31st Joint Fighter Squadron. These badges are the proof of it."

Keiko opened her hands, showing three golden colored badges, depicting a soaring eagle with its wings spread and a star above it. Above that star, there was a white arced 'AFRICA' sign. In the background, the Fuso moon-on-sun could be found.

The mentioned three picked the badges from Keiko's hand with smiles on their faces.

"So you are leaving, huh?" Keiko asked.

"Yes we are… Thanks for everything…"

"Hey, cousin, can I visit you some time?"

"Suuure, Mami! Just ask Keiko for a leave and jump over that pond in the north."

"Heeheeheehee, will do!"

"Hey, Toshiro, something for you."

Tina gave him a signed Polaroid photo, depicting her in a warrior pose.

"Hah, I almost forgot… Thanks."

"Oh right! Toshiro, did you find the trumpet in your chest?"

"Yup, thanks, Keiko."

The blaring of a truck horn could be heard behind them.

"Come on, Toshiro, we ain't got all day!" Horbie shouted.

"Okay, okay!" Toshiro shouted back. "So, last group hug and I'm off…"

They all hugged together and even Adolfine joined in. After they spread apart, Keiko whispered something to Toshiro.

"Okay, he responded, I'll remember about that."

After arriving at the harbor, and loading the airboat, Toshiro and company boarded it.

_From one mission into another… The people of Venezia and Romagna are in need of my skill, and the skills of the 501_ _st_ _… Yoshika is coming too… Yoshika… My beloved Yoshika… I will finally be close to the girl I love… I'm a bit anxious about all the hubbub about being the 'Hero of Karlsland' and all the related stuff, but I suppose it won't hurt to stand in the limelight for a few minutes… Ehhh… Time to start a new adventure… Romagna, here I come!_

And done! Find me on fanfiction.net if you want to know when the third fic will start coming out.


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